HCSHB2851--DOMESTICRELATIONS
SPONSOR: Sharpe(4)
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheStanding
CommitteeonGeneralLawsbyavoteof8to7.
ThefollowingisasummaryoftheHouseCommitteeSubstituteforHB
2851.
Thisbillcreatesthreecategoriesofspousalmaintenanceorders
thatmaybeawardedbyacourtincertainproceedings:
(1)Bridgemaintenanceordersmaybeawardedtoapartytoa
short-termmarriage,definedashavingadurationoflessthan
sevenyears,toprovidesupportforlegitimateshort-termneedsfor
nomorethantwoyears.Suchawardswillnotbemodifiablein
durationoramount.
(2)Rehabilitative maintenanceordersmaybeawardedtoassista
partytoashort-termmarriageoramoderate-termmarriage,defined
ashavingadurationofseventolessthan17years.Suchawards
aredesignedtofacilitateself-supportthroughtheredevelopment
ofpreviousskillsorcredentialsortheacquisitionofeducation,
training,orworkexperienceandthedevelopmentandimplementation
ofacareerplanandgoals.Therewillbeaspecificanddefined
rehabilitative planpriortoawardingarehabilitative maintenance
orderandsuchorderwillnotexceedfouryearsinduration.
Rehabilitative maintenanceordersmaybeterminatedupona
substantialchangeincircumstances, uponnoncompliancewiththe
rehabilitative plan,oruponcompletionoftheplan.
(3)Durationalmaintenanceordersmaybeawardedtoprovidefor
theneedsandnecessitiesofapartyasestablishedduringa
moderate-termorlong-termmarriage,definedashavingaduration
of17ormoreyears.Adurationalmaintenanceorderwillnot
remainineffectformorethan:
(a)Fiveyears,ifthemarriagelastedseventolessthan12
years;
(b)Sevenyears,ifthemarriagelasted12tolessthan17years;
and
(c)Tenyears,ifthemarriagelasted17ormoreyears.
Durationalmaintenanceordersmaybemodifiedasspecifiedinthe
bill. Inestablishingthetermofdurationalmaintenance,andforthe
purposesofmaintenancemodificationsdecidedonorafterAugust
28,2024,thecourtmustconsiderallrelevantfactorsincluding
butnotlimitedto:
(1)Theabilityofthespousepayingmaintenancetoretire;
(2)Whetherthecourtorthepartiesconsideredtheretirementof
thespousepayingmaintenanceinpreviousagreementsormaintenance
awards;
(3)Accesstohealthcarebybothspouses;and
(4)Thedurationandamountofmaintenancealreadypaid.
Acourtmayexceedthedurationallimitsspecifiedinthisbillin
awardingormodifyingrehabilitative ordurationalmaintenanceonly
ifthecourtspecificallyfinds,afterconsiderationofall
relevantfactors,thatthedurationallimitsarenotinthe
interestsoffairnessforthepartyseekingmaintenanceor
modificationofanexistingmaintenanceorder.Thecourtmust
enterwrittenfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflawsettingforth
thegroundsforexceedingthedurationallimits.Maintenance
ordersmaybesubjecttomodificationorterminationifitcanbe
shownthattherecipientandanotherpersonhaveenteredintoa
mutuallysupportiverelationshipthatisthefunctionalequivalent
ofmarriagethathaslastedforatleast12monthsinan18-month
period.
ThisbillissimilartoHB1942(2024)andHB1566(2022).
Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatthislegislationprovidesmuch
neededupdatestocurrentmaintenanceprocedureinfamilylaw.
Thislegislationaddsclarityandaccountability torelevant
statutesofamiliesnolongerhavetofightovermaintenance. The
currentmaintenancestatutemakesitverydifficulttoremovea
maintenanceorderonceitisinplace.Thislegislationprovides
equalprotectionunderthelawandgivesjudgesguiderailsthey
canusetoenacttherightamountandtherightlengthof
maintenanceawards.Thosewhohavebeensubjecttoamaintenance
awardfeelthattheyarenotbeinggiventheproperamountof
maintenance. Theyarealsohavingadifficulttimeendingthe
maintenanceawardafteritisnolongerneededbythepayee.This
legislationgivesjudgesthetoolstostopandstartmaintenanceas
needed. Currentmaintenancelegislationhasresultedininconsistent
maintenanceawardsacrosstheState.Theguiderailsforawards
providedinthislegislationgivepartiesmoreofanexpectationas
towhatmaintenanceawardswilllooklike.Maintenancehasbecome
a"lifelongsentence"formanyindividuals. Therearemany
instanceswherejudgesarenotallowedtoenteranendingdatefor
maintenanceawards.Thiscausespartiestohavetofilemotionsto
modifytogettothecorrectlevelofmaintenancefortheir
specificneeds.Thesecontinuousmodificationstieupthecourt
systemandcreateanevengreaterriftbetweenparties. This
legislationwouldhelptoreducetheseunnecessarycourtvisits.
TestifyinginpersonforthebillwereRepresentative Sharpe;El
Consulting;BrentKarasiuk;andRichardMcIntosh.
OPPONENTS: Thosewhoopposethebillsaythatthejudgeistheone
whoshouldbemakingdecisionsaboutmaintenanceawards.
Legislatorsshouldnotinterferewithajudge'sdutytodetermine
maintenanceawardsandlimits.
TestifyinginpersonagainstthebillwasArnieDienoff.
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonyandwitnessestestifyingonlinecanbefound
underTestimonyonthebillpageontheHousewebsite.