JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) – Representatives for Tlingit and Haida Natives have filed a lawsuit against the state to gain control of child support matters.

The Central Council Tlingit & Haida filed lawsuit in Juneau Superior Court last month.

Named are the state, Department of Revenue Commissioner Patrick Galvin and John Mallonee, director of the state Child Support Services Division.

The council wants the state to recognize its tribal court and administrative orders regarding child support that it says are granted under federal law.

“In our tribe, we decided that we wanted to do something to make sure that children and families are supported,” said Bob Loescher, with Tlingit & Haida Tribal Judiciary Committee.

State officials have declined to comment on the pending lawsuit.

Alaska lawmakers unanimously passed a bill last year that brought the state in line with the federal Uniform Child Support Act.

“Basically it added the word tribe in the definition of eligible entities that the state of Alaska could work with,” Loescher said.

The state has not recognized the tribe’s authority on child support matters, particularly when it comes to garnishments of Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend checks from delinquent parents, he said.

“For two years in a row, we’ve basically had to negotiate agreements with the state administration to allow for PFD withholdings,” Loescher said. “In 2008, the state failed to withhold the monies that we had requested through tribal administration and tribal court orders. This last year we were able to get a memorandum for one time to get a number of cases’ money held back.”

He said the tribe has advanced money to some families and it “has a right to recapture the funds that it advances to the families in order to provide for child support.”

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Information from: Juneau Empire, http://www.juneauempire.com