This bill amends existing child support laws to extend parental obligations to include payments for post-high school education, specifically college tuition and other post-secondary educational expenses. Key changes include the removal of the previous cap on child support obligations that ended two months after a child turned 19, replacing it with a new cap at 22 years old. Additionally, the bill allows for child support to continue while the child is enrolled in college or other post-secondary education, and it specifies that no child support order will require contributions to an adult child's educational expenses beyond the completion of college, except as outlined in a new provision for parental agreements.

The bill also introduces a framework for parents to voluntarily agree on contributions to their child's post-college educational expenses, which must be documented in a stipulated decree approved by the court. This agreement can include various forms of contributions, such as saving accounts or direct payments for educational expenses. The act is set to take effect on January 1, 2027, and while it does not provide new funding or positions, it anticipates additional costs for the Department of Health and Human Services related to updating enforcement systems, estimated to be between $20,000 and $50,000.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 461-A:14
HB1781 text: 461-A:14, 461-A:21