COEUR d'ALENE - It was a long day in Boise on Monday, but after hours of testimony and debate the Idaho Legislature finally passed the international child support bill.

The bill will now head to the governor for his signature.

The newly amended child support enforcement bill brings the state in line with an international treaty that would make it easier for Idaho parents to collect child support from noncustodial parents who live overseas.

If the state had failed to address the issue by the end of July, it could have jeopardized Idaho's entire child support enforcement program and cost the state $46 million per year in federal grants.

The House Judiciary, Rules and Administration Committee essentially killed the legislation before adjourning for the year in April. That concerned Gov. Butch Otter, who called for a special session of the Legislature to readdress the issue.

The Legislature convened in Boise on Monday at 8:30 a.m. for hours of testimony and debate over whether the bill makes Idaho vulnerable to foreign courts or laws. After more than 30 people testified for and against HB 1, a handful of legislators attempted to further amend the bill.

But ultimately, the same committee that killed the bill on a 9-8 vote last month voted 12-5 to send it to the full House for consideration.

Reps. Kathy Sims, R-Coeur d'Alene, and Don Cheatham, R-Post Falls, voted against the bill.

After much more discussion, the House passed the bill on a 49-21 vote with one member absent.

Neither Sims nor Cheatham could be reached for comment after the vote.

Sims, however did testify that she was proud to vote no on the bill during the regular session and told House members she planned to do the same.

All House Representatives from Kootenai County voted against the bill except Rep. Luke Malek, R-Coeur d'Alene, who voted for it.

"I really don't know what to say other than this was the right thing to do," he said after the vote. "You really can't just go and blow things up without having an alternative to collect child support. This was the right thing to do for Idahoans."

After clearing the House, HB 1 moved to the Senate Judiciary and Rules Committee for consideration, where after substantially less debate it passed to the full floor unanimously.

Sen. Mary Souza, R-Coeur d'Alene, who has been somewhat outspoken about the legislation over the past couple of weeks, did express her concerns with the bill, but ultimately voted to send it to the full Senate for consideration.

Again with far less debate on the Senate floor, HB 1 passed with only two votes in opposition.

Sen. Sheryl Nuxoll, R-Cottonwood, voted against the bill, as did Brent Regan, a Coeur d'Alene Republican who substituted for Sen. Steve Vick, R-Dalton Gardens.

Regan is also the vice-chairman of the Idaho Freedom Foundation, which was adamantly opposed to the bill.

None of the Kootenai County senators could be reached for comment Monday afternoon.

During testimony on the bill, Regan told the Senate committee that he feared for soldiers like his son who could be falsely accused in a custody issue in another country and having a court order child support payments without affording his son the same due process he would receive in the United States.

Gov. Otter is expected to hold a press conference on the issue today.