The proposed bill amends Minnesota child support laws by repealing the provision for cost-of-living adjustments in maintenance or child support orders, specifically targeting Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 518A.75. This repeal eliminates automatic adjustments based on changes in the cost of living and necessitates conforming changes to several other sections of the Minnesota Statutes, including sections 518.68, 518A.34, 518A.40, and 518A.41. Additionally, the bill introduces a new requirement for specific notices to be included in child support orders issued on or after January 1, 2027. It clarifies that child support obligations will remain at their current level until a modification motion is filed, and it prohibits retroactive reductions in support.

Furthermore, the bill revises child support calculations for parents with joint children, particularly those with split custody arrangements. It establishes new guidelines for determining parental income for child support (PICS) and outlines the calculation process for each parent's basic support obligation. For orders issued before January 1, 2027, calculations will follow existing guidelines with allowances for offsets if both parents owe support to each other. For orders issued on or after this date, the calculations will focus on each parent's basic support obligation before any offsets. The bill also details the allocation of child care and medical support obligations, specifying that unreimbursed and uninsured medical expenses are excluded from the presumptive support amount and clarifying each parent's responsibilities regarding health care coverage for their children.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 518A.75, 518.68, 518A.34, 518A.40, 518A.41