110 STAT. 2208 PUBLIC LAW 104-193—AUG. 22, 1996 a centralized system. In addition, employers shall be given 1 location to which income withholding is sent. "(b) REQUIRED PROCEDURES.—The State disbursement unit shall use automated procedures, electronic processes, and computerdriven technology to the maximum extent feasible, efficient, and economical, for the collection and disbursement of support pay- ments, including procedures— "(1) for receipt of payments from parents, employers, and other States, and for disbursements to custodial parents and other obligees, the State agency, and the agencies of other States; "(2) for accurate identification of payments; "(3) to ensure prompt disbursement of the custodial parent's share of any pa5anent; and "(4) to furnish to any parent, upon request, timely information on the current status of support payments under an. order requiring payments to be made by or to the parent, except that in cases described in subsection (a)(1)(B), the State disbursement unit shall not be required to convert and maintain in automated form records of payments kept pursuant to section 466(a)(8)(B)(iii) before the effective date of this section. " (c) TIMING OF DISBURSEMENTS.— "(1) IN GENERAL. —Except as provided in paragraph (2), the State disbursement unit shall distribute all amounts pay- able under section 457(a) within 2 business days after receipt from the employer or other source of periodic income, if sufficient information identifying the payee is provided. "(2) PERMISSIVE RETENTION OF ARREARAGES.—The State disbursement unit may delay the distribution of collections toward arrearages until the resolution of any timely appeal with respect to such arrearages. "(d) BUSINESS DAY DEFINED.— As used in this section, the term ^business da/ means a day on which State offices are open for regular business.". (c) USE OF AUTOMATED SYSTEM. —Section 454A, as added by section 344(a)(2) and as amended by section 311 of this Act, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: "(g) COLLECTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF SUPPORT PAYMENTS.— "(1) IN GENERAL.— The State shall use the automated system required by this section, to the maximum extent feasible, to assist and facilitate the collection and disbursement of support payments through the State disbursement unit operated under section 454B, through the performance of functions, including, at a minimum— "(A) transmission of orders and notices to employers (and other debtors) for the withholding of income— "(i) within 2 business days after receipt of notice of, and the income source subject to, such withholding from a court, another State, an employer, the Federal Parent Locator Service, or another source recognized by the State; and "(ii) using uniform formats prescribed by the Secretary; "(B) ongoing monitoring to promptly identify failures to make timely payment of support; and
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