HF2456 (Legislative Session 94 (2025-2026))
Cost-of-living adjustments in maintenance or child support orders repealed, and conforming changes made.
Related bill: SF2666
AI Generated Summary
Purpose of the Bill
The purpose of this bill is to address and update the handling of child support and spousal maintenance in Minnesota. It specifically aims to repeal automatic cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) in existing maintenance or child support orders and make necessary conforming changes in the state statutes.
Main Provisions
- Repeal of Cost-of-Living Adjustments: The bill repeals Minnesota Statutes section 518A.75, which allowed automatic biennial adjustments to child support or spousal maintenance based on the Consumer Price Index, effective for orders starting January 1, 2027.
- Modification of Child Support Orders: New provisions state how courts should compute child support, focusing on shared obligations based on parents' incomes and custody arrangements. Adjustments related to child care and health expenses will now need to be directly petitioned rather than automatically adjusted for living costs.
- Documentation and Verification: Courts must require proof of employment, school attendance, and relevant cost documentation when determining child support obligations.
- Handling of Medical Support: The bill specifies how the cost of private healthcare coverage and unreimbursed health-related expenses should be divided between parents, effective January 1, 2027.
- Handling of Payment Defaults: The bill provides detailed steps and potential penalties for parents who fail to fulfill child support obligations, including using income withholding, reporting to credit bureaus, and possible legal proceedings.
- Rights and Obligations: The bill clarifies the rights to access important records about the child, such as medical and educational records, and the responsibilities of both parents to communicate significant changes in residence or employment status.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- The abovementioned changes effectively end the automatic increase in support payments, requiring any adjustments to be made through court orders or mutual agreement.
- The approach toward shared medical support expenses has been altered to ensure explicit designation of responsibility and collection processes. Any allocation for medical support will not automatically adjust for cost-of-living but be treated as child support for collection purposes.
Relevant Terms
child support, spousal maintenance, cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), child care expenses, medical support, public health care, modification of support, Consumer Price Index, family law, parenting time, MinnesotaCare, child custody, public assistance, income withholding
Actions
| Date | Chamber | Where | Type | Name | Committee Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 16, 2025 | House | Floor | Action | Introduction and first reading, referred to | Judiciary Finance and Civil Law |
| March 26, 2025 | House | Floor | Action | Motion to recall and re-refer, motion prevailed | Children and Families Finance and Policy |
| April 01, 2025 | House | Floor | Action | Committee report, to adopt as amended and re-refer to | Judiciary Finance and Civil Law |
| April 02, 2025 | House | Floor | Action | Author added | |
| April 06, 2025 | House | Floor | Action | Committee report, to adopt and re-refer to | Children and Families Finance and Policy |
Citations
[
{
"analysis": {
"added": [],
"removed": [],
"summary": "This bill modifies the content requirements for notices in child support orders under section 518.68, subdivision 2.",
"modified": [
"This section is updated to reflect changes in notification details and expiration dates."
]
},
"citation": "518.68",
"subdivision": "subdivision 2"
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [],
"removed": [],
"summary": "Adjusts the computation of child support obligations.",
"modified": [
"Clarifies how obligations should be determined and calculated, including split custody scenarios."
]
},
"citation": "518A.34",
"subdivision": ""
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [],
"removed": [],
"summary": "Changes determination requirements for child care expenses.",
"modified": [
"Specifies that child care expenses are considered child support for collection purposes after 2027."
]
},
"citation": "518A.40",
"subdivision": "subdivision 3"
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [],
"removed": [],
"summary": "Amends medical support cost determinations.",
"modified": [
"Clarifies division of unreimbursed medical expenses and adjustments related to private health coverage."
]
},
"citation": "518A.41",
"subdivision": "subdivision 5"
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [
"Details of felony charges for concealing a minor child."
],
"removed": [],
"summary": "This outlines criminal offenses related to deprivation of custodial rights under section 609.26.",
"modified": []
},
"citation": "609.26",
"subdivision": ""
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [
"Information about potential criminal penalties for non-support."
],
"removed": [],
"summary": "Addresses non-support criminal penalties.",
"modified": []
},
"citation": "609.375",
"subdivision": ""
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [
"Provision for automatic judgment entries for unpaid support."
],
"removed": [],
"summary": "Ensures judgments for unpaid support are entered without notice.",
"modified": []
},
"citation": "548.091",
"subdivision": ""
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [
"Provision for appointing expeditors in disputes."
],
"removed": [],
"summary": "Addresses parenting time expeditor process.",
"modified": []
},
"citation": "518.175",
"subdivision": ""
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [],
"removed": [],
"summary": "Details remedies and penalties for denial of parenting time.",
"modified": [
"Includes civil penalties and potential custody reversal."
]
},
"citation": "518.175",
"subdivision": "subdivision 6"
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [
"Included as part of enforcement for child support."
],
"removed": [],
"summary": "Provides for judgments regarding attorney fees and collection costs.",
"modified": []
},
"citation": "518A.735",
"subdivision": ""
}
]