Oklahoma 2023 Regular Session

Oklahoma Senate Bill SB85 Compare Versions

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29-HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES - FLOOR VERSION
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31-STATE OF OKLAHOMA
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33-1st Session of the 59th Legislature (2023)
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3528 ENGROSSED SENATE
3629 BILL NO. 85 By: Daniels of the Senate
3730
3831 and
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4033 Kannady of the House
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4338 An Act relating to child support; amending 12 O.S.
4439 2021, Section 1171.2, which relat es to income
4540 assignment for child support; updating statutory
4641 references; amending 56 O.S. 2021, Sections 237.7 and
4742 238.5A, which relate to definitions and use of child
4843 support guidelines; updating statutory language;
4944 modifying definition; requiring Department of Human
5045 Services to ensure review of certain orders;
5146 authorizing issuance of notice to modify c hild
5247 support order under certain circumstances; requiring
5348 Department to provide certain notice; providing for
5449 service of certain notice; requiring Department to
5550 set hearing upon request; requiring notice of certain
5651 hearing; requiring submission of certain orders to
5752 the administrative court; requiring review of certain
5853 order; requiring filing of certain administrative
5954 order in district court; authorizing appeal of
6055 certain administrative orders; requiring Department
6156 to promulgate certain rules; updating statutory
6257 references; repealing 43 O.S. 2021, Section 118.1,
6358 which relates to Department review of child support
6459 orders; making language gender neutral; and providing
6560 an effective date.
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6966 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
7067 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 12 O.S. 2021, Section 1171.2, is
7168 amended to read as follows:
69+Section 1171.2. A. Any person awarded custody of and support
70+for a minor child by the district court or awarded perio dic child
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99-Section 1171.2. A. Any person awarded cu stody of and support
100-for a minor child by the district court or awarded perio dic child
10197 support payments by the Department of Human Services, or the
10298 Department of Human Services on behalf of a recipient of Temporary
10399 Assistance for Needy Families or on behalf of a person not receiv ing
104100 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families shall be entitled to proceed
105101 to collect any current child support and child sup port due and owing
106102 through income assignment pursuant to the provisions of this section
107103 and Section 1171.3 of this title or Section 237.7 and Sections 240
108104 240.1 through 240.3 of Title 56 of the Oklahoma Statutes or by
109105 garnishment, if the minor child is in the custody and care of the
110106 person entitled to receive the child support or as is otherwise
111107 provided by the court or administrative order at the time of t he
112108 income assignment or garnishm ent proceedings.
113109 B. The maximum part of the aggregate disposable earnings of any
114110 person for any workweek which is subject to garnishment or income
115111 assignment for the support of a minor child shall not exceed:
116112 1. Fifty percent (50%) of such person ’s disposable earnings for
117113 that week, if such person is supporting his or her spouse or a
118114 dependent child other than the child with respect to whose support
119115 such order is used; and
120116 2. Sixty percent (60%) of such person ’s disposable earnings for
121117 that week if such person is not supporting a spouse or dependent
122118 child.
119+The fifty percent (50%) specified in paragraph 1 of this subsection
120+shall be deemed to be fifty -five percent (55%) and the sixty percent
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150-The fifty percent (50%) specified in paragraph 1 of this subsection
151-shall be deemed to be fifty -five percent (55%) and the si xty percent
152147 (60%) specified in paragraph 2 of this subsection shall be deemed to
153148 be sixty-five percent (65%), if and to the extent that such earnings
154149 are subject to garnishment o r income assignment to enforce a support
155150 order with respect to a period which is prior to the twelve -week
156151 period which ends with the beginning of such workweek.
157152 C. When responding to a notice of income assignment pursuant to
158153 Section 1171.3 of this title a nd a National Medical Support Notice
159154 issued pursuant to Section 118.1 118.2 of Title 43 and Section 6058A
160155 of Title 36 of the Oklahoma Statutes, the payor shall al locate
161156 available income in the following priority:
162157 1. Current child and spousal support;
163158 2. Health insurance premiums;
164159 3. Arrearages; and
165160 4. Other child support obligations.
166161 If after payment of current child and s pousal support there is
167162 insufficient income to pay the premiums necessary to provide
168163 dependent health insurance, the payor shall allocate t he remaining
169164 withholding to arrearages and then to other child support
170165 obligations. An obligor may voluntarily elect to have the payor
171166 withhold amounts in excess of the limits in subsection B of this
172167 section to pay the obligor ’s portion of the health insu rance premium
173168 for a dependent child.
169+SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 56 O.S. 2021, Section 237.7, is
170+amended to read as follows:
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201-SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 56 O.S. 2021, Section 237.7, is
202-amended to read as follows:
203197 Section 237.7. For the purposes of Sections 237 through 240.23
204198 of this title:
205199 1. The “Child Support Enforcement Division of the Department of
206200 Human Services”, hereinafter referred to as the “Division” or as the
207201 “Department”, is the state agency designated to admini ster the child
208202 support enforcement program for the State of Oklahoma this state and
209203 its District Offices district offices, which may be administered
210204 through contract or cooperative agreements . The District Offices
211205 district offices provide enforcement services to individuals
212206 receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, hereinafter
213207 referred to as “TANF”, and to individuals not receiving TANF who
214208 have made proper application for enforcement services to the
215209 Division;
216210 2. “Director” means the Director of the Department of Human
217211 Services who shall have the authority to enter orders in appropriate
218212 cases or as otherwise provided by law, without the necessity of an
219213 additional signature of a district or administra tive judge;
220214 3. “Office of Administrat ive Hearings: Child Support (Legal
221215 Division, Department of Human Services, State of Oklahoma) ”,
222216 hereinafter referred to as “OAH”, conducts child support enforcement
223217 administrative hearings. All hearings are conducted by
224218 administrative law judges assigned to OAH;
219+4. “Support debt” means a debt owed to the State of Oklahoma
220+this state by the natural, legal or adoptive parents who are
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252-4. “Support debt” means a debt owed to the State of Oklahoma
253-this state by the natural, legal or adoptive parents who are
254247 responsible for support of a child or children receiving public
255248 assistance money from the Depar tment or the reasonable expenses o f
256249 providing for a child or children. The amount of the debt shall be
257250 determined in accordance with the provisions of Section 118 et seq.
258251 of Title 43 of the Oklahoma Statutes;
259252 5. “Arrearage” or “past due support” means the total amount of
260253 unpaid support obliga tions;
261254 6. “Delinquency” means any payment under an order for support
262255 which becomes due and remains unpaid;
263256 7. a. “Gross income” or “income” means income from any
264257 source and includes, but is not limited to, income
265258 from salaries, wages, commissions, bonuses , dividends,
266259 severance pay, pensions, rent , interest income, trust
267260 income, annuities, compensation as an independent
268261 contractor, social security benefits, workers ’
269262 compensation benefits, unemployment insurance
270263 benefits, disability insurance benefits, gifts ,
271264 prizes, any form of periodic payment to an individual
272265 regardless of source, and any other payments made by
273266 any person, private entity, federal or state
274267 government, any unit of local government, school
275268 district, or any entit y created by law. Income
269+specifically excluded are actual child support
270+received for children not before the court and
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303-specifically excluded are actual child support
304-received for children not before the court and
305297 benefits received from means -tested public assistance
306298 programs, including but not limited to TANF,
307299 Supplemental Security Income (SSI), F ood Stamps,
308300 General Assistance and State Supplemental Payments for
309301 Aged, Blind, and the Disabled.
310302 b. For purposes of computing gross income of the parents,
311303 gross income shall include for each parent all actual
312304 monthly income described in this paragraph, th e
313305 average of the gross monthly income for the time
314306 actually employed duri ng the previous three (3) years,
315307 or the minimum wage paid for a forty -hour week,
316308 whichever is the most equitable. If equitable, gross
317309 monthly income for either parent may be imputed in an
318310 amount that a person with comparable education,
319311 training, and experience could reasonably expect to
320312 earn. If a person is permanently physically or
321313 mentally incapacitated, the child support obligation
322314 shall be computed on the basis of actual monthly gross
323315 income;
324316 8. “Earnings” means amounts paid to a person as an employe e,
325317 including wages and salary;
318+9. “Disposable income” means income or earnings less any
319+amounts required by law to be withheld including, but not limited
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353-9. “Disposable income” means income or earnings less any
354-amounts required by law to be withheld in cluding, but not limited
355346 to, federal, state, and loca l taxes, Social Security, and p ublic
356347 assistance payments;
357348 10. “Obligor” means the person who is required to make payments
358349 under an order for support or the natural, legal, or adoptive
359350 parents who are responsible for the support of a child or children;
360351 11. “Obligee” or “Person entitled” means:
361352 a. a person to whom a support deb t or support obligation
362353 is owed,
363354 b. the Department of Human Services or a public agency of
364355 another state that has the right to receive current or
365356 accrued support payments or that is p roviding support
366357 enforcement services, or
367358 c. a person designated in a sup port order or as otherwise
368359 specified by the court;
369360 12. “Payor” means any person or entity paying monies, income,
370361 or earnings to an obligor. In the case of a self -employed person,
371362 the “payor” and “obligor” may be the same person;
372363 13. “Support order” means an order for the payment of support
373364 issued by a district or administrative court of this state or by any
374365 court or agency of another state;
375366 14. “Income assignment” means an assignment of a portion of the
376367 monies, income, or periodic earnings due and owing to the obligor to
368+the person entitled to the support or to another person or entity
369+designated by the support order or assignment for payment of
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404-the person entitled to the support or to another person or entity
405-designated by the support order or assignment for payment of
406396 support, the support debt, or arreara ges. In all child support
407397 cases wherein child support is being enforced pursuant to the state
408398 plan, the income of any obligor required by court or administrative
409399 order to pay support shall be subject by operation of law to
410400 immediate income assignments reg ardless of whether support paym ents
411401 by such obligor are in arrears. The assignment shall be in an
412402 amount which is sufficient to meet the periodic child support
413403 payments, other maintenance payments, payments on support debt and
414404 collection of past due suppo rt monies that have accrued und er a
415405 district or administrative court orde r. An income assignment shall
416406 be made a part of a support order or any order granting a judgment
417407 for a support debt or confirming the amount of the past due support,
418408 or a review or modification of a support order pursuant to Section
419409 118.1 238.5A of Title 43 of the Oklahoma Statutes this title;
420410 15. “Voluntary acknowledgment ” means a written acknowledgment
421411 executed by the obligor wherein the obligor acknowledges paternity,
422412 support liability, a support debt, or arrea rage amount, and agrees
423413 to a judgment and an immediate income assignment to pay monthly
424414 support and payments on the support debt or arrearage judgments;
425415 16. “Notice” means a written announcement served upon an
426416 obligor, a custodial person or any person or entity which might be
427417 affected by the noti ced proceeding;
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455444 17. “Licensing board” means any bureau, department, division,
456445 board, agency, or commission of this state or of a municipality in
457446 this state that issues a license;
458447 18. “License” means a license, certificate, registration,
459448 permit, approval, or other similar document issued by a licensing
460449 board granting to an individual a right or privilege to engage in a
461450 profession, occupation, business, or industry, or any recreational
462451 license or permit including, b ut not limited to, a hunting and
463452 fishing license or other authorization issued pursuant to the
464453 Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Code and certificates of Title for
465454 vessels and motors and other licenses or registrations issued
466455 pursuant to the Oklahoma Vessel a nd Motor Registration Act or a
467456 driver license or other permit issued pursuant to Title 47 of the
468457 Oklahoma Statutes;
469458 19. “Commission” means the Commission for Human Services;
470459 20. “Payment plan” includes, but is not limited t o, a plan
471460 approved by the suppo rt enforcement entity that provides suffic ient
472461 security to ensure compliance with a support order or that
473462 incorporates voluntary or involuntary income assignment or a similar
474463 plan for periodic payment of past -due support and, if applicable,
475464 current and future support; and
476465 21. “Support” means all payments or other obligations due and
477466 owing to the obligee or person entitled by the obligor pursuant to a
478467 support order, and may include, but is not limited to, support
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506494 alimony payments, child support, as defined by Section 1170 of Title
507495 12 of the Oklahoma Statutes, and other expenses, requirements and
508496 obligations as specified in Section 118 et seq. of Title 43 of the
509497 Oklahoma Statutes.
510498 SECTION 3. AMENDATORY 56 O.S. 2021, Section 238.5A, i s
511499 amended to read as follows:
512500 Section 238.5A. The A. In all cases in which child support
513501 services are being provided under the state child support plan as
514502 provided in Section 237 of this title, the Department shall ensure
515503 that the amount of child support and other support shall be is
516504 ordered and reviewed in accordance with the child support guidelines
517505 provided in Section 118 et seq. of Title 43 of the Oklahoma
518506 Statutes.
519507 B. Whenever the Department determines that an order for child
520508 support may not be in accordance with the child support guidelines
521509 set forth in Section 118 et seq. of Title 43 of the Oklahoma
522510 Statutes, the Department may issue a notice to modify the order for
523511 child support.
524512 C. The Department shall serve notice on the obligor and the
525513 custodial person informing them of the following:
526514 1. The style and case number of the child support order or
527515 orders being enforced by the Department;
528516 2. The date the notice is issued;
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556543 3. The initials and dates of birth of the child or children who
557544 are the subject or subjects of the order for child support;
558545 4. The amount of the existing monthly child support obligations
559546 as defined in Section 118 et seq. of Title 43 of the Oklahoma
560547 Statutes;
561548 5. That the monthly child support obligation may not be in
562549 compliance with the child support guidelines;
563550 6. That according to informati on in the records of the
564551 Department, the order for child support and other support should be
565552 modified;
566553 7. The proposed modified amount of child support that should be
567554 paid in accordance with the child support guidelines;
568555 8. The proposed medical support order;
569556 9. The proposed child care expenses;
570557 10. The amount of past due support owed by the obligor and a
571558 monthly judgment payment if the Department is requesting a judgment ;
572559 11. That unless either party requests a hearing, the proposed
573560 modified monthly child support and other support obligations shall
574561 become the monthly court-ordered child support amount ;
575562 12. That the modification of the child support obligation shall
576563 be effective the first day of the month following the date the
577564 notice is issued;
578565 13. That an immediate income assignment shall be ordered
579566 pursuant to Section 115 of Title 43 of Oklahoma Statutes;
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607593 14. That all payments for child support shall be made to the
608594 Centralized Support Registry at the address specified in the notice
609595 pursuant to Section 413 of Title 43 of Oklahoma Statutes, and any
610596 payments made other than to the Centralized Support Registry may not
611597 be credited to the amount owed;
612598 15. The address of record for the obligor and custodial person
613599 on file with the Central Case Registry, unless the Department has
614600 determined to keep such information confidential due t o reasonable
615601 evidence of domestic violence or child abuse , pursuant to Section
616602 112A of Title 43 of Oklahoma Statutes;
617603 16. That either party may request an administrative hearing on
618604 a form attached to the notice within twenty (20 ) days of the date
619605 the notice is served; and
620606 17. That the notice shall become the order of modification and
621607 shall be filed with the clerk of the district court. Such order
622608 shall have the same legal e ffect as an order of the court.
623609 D. The notice provided for in this se ction shall be served by
624610 the Department upon the obligor and custodial pe rson as provided in
625611 Section 2004 of Title 12 of the Oklahoma Statutes, or if there is an
626612 address of record on fil e with the Central Case Registry pursuant to
627613 Section 112A of Title 43 of the Oklahoma Statutes, the noti ce may be
628614 served by regular mail at the address of record.
629615 E. Upon receipt of a timely request for hearing, the Department
630616 shall set the matter for a h earing. The obligor and custodial
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658643 person shall be given notice of the hearing as provided in
659644 subsection B of Section 2005 of Title 12 of the O klahoma Statutes.
660645 The notice shall state that failure to appear at the scheduled
661646 hearing may result in the notice becoming the order of the court.
662647 F. When a timely hearing is not req uested, the Department shall
663648 submit to the administrative court an order confirming and
664649 incorporating the notice by reference. The court shall review to
665650 confirm jurisdiction, sufficien cy of the notice to modify, and
666651 service of process. The order shall be reviewed and signed by the
667652 court or returned to the Department with explanation.
668653 G. An administrative order shall be filed in the district court
669654 pursuant to Section 237.10 of this titl e. A final administrative
670655 order entered pursuant to th is section may be appealed in accordance
671656 with the requirements of Section 240.3 of this title.
672657 H. The Department shall promulgate rules as necessary to
673658 implement the provisions of this section .
674659 SECTION 4. REPEALER 43 O.S. 2021, Section 118.1, is
675660 hereby repealed.
676661 SECTION 5. This act shall become effec tive November 1, 2023.
677662
678-COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY - CIVIL, dated
679-04/10/2023 - DO PASS.
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688+Passed the Senate the 9th day of March, 2023.
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692+ Presiding Officer of the Senate
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695+Passed the House of Representatives the ____ day of __________,
696+2023.
697+
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699+
700+ Presiding Officer of the House
701+ of Representatives
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