This bill introduces additional measures regarding income assignments for child support payments. Specifically, it mandates that during a hearing, the court must notify each party that an automatic income assignment of wages for child support will be enacted unless both parties agree to an alternative arrangement. Furthermore, the bill requires the circuit court family division to create a standard form, which may be an addendum to the child support calculation form, to be presented before a temporary hearing for the purpose of waiving wage garnishment. This form must include details on when wage garnishment will become mandatory, allow both parties to specify their preferred payment arrangements, inform the payer of their responsibility to keep records of payments, and instruct the payee on how to report missed payments.

The bill specifies that these changes will take effect on January 1, 2025. There are no insertions or deletions of legal language provided in the summary. According to the fiscal note provided by the Office of Legislative Budget Assistant, the bill, as amended, does not have any fiscal impact on state, county, and local expenditures or revenue. The Department of Health and Human Services and the Judicial Branch were contacted for this analysis.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 458-B:2, 458-B:3
As Amended by the House: 458-B:2, 458-B:3