The proposed bill amends Minnesota Statutes to eliminate automatic cost-of-living adjustments for maintenance and child support orders. It removes the previous requirement for these adjustments to occur every two years unless specified otherwise in the order. A new provision states that for orders issued prior to January 1, 2027, existing cost-of-living adjustments will no longer apply, and for orders issued on or after that date, specific notices regarding payment obligations will be required. The bill also makes conforming changes to various sections of the Minnesota Statutes, aiming to streamline the child support process and clarify parental obligations regarding support payments.

Additionally, the bill clarifies the calculation of parental income for determining child support obligations, particularly in split custody cases. It specifies that each parent's basic support obligation must be calculated before any offsets for amounts owed to each other. Future modifications will also require the application of section 518A.39 to be based on each parent's basic support obligation prior to offsets. The bill establishes an effective date of January 1, 2027, for these new provisions and emphasizes that no cost-of-living adjustments will be made for any maintenance or child support orders established before, on, or after that date, ensuring consistency in the enforcement and modification of child support obligations.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 518A.75, 518.68, 518A.34, 518A.40, 518A.41
1st Engrossment: 518.68, 518A.34, 518A.75