HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1434 FILED ON: 2/5/2021
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 183
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Christine P. Barber and David M. Rogers
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act to further family-centered child support.
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PETITION OF:
Name: | District/Address: | Date Added: |
Christine P. Barber | 34th Middlesex | 2/5/2021 |
David M. Rogers | 24th Middlesex | 2/25/2021 |
David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf | 17th Worcester | 2/9/2021 |
Marcos A. Devers | 16th Essex | 2/16/2021 |
Lindsay N. Sabadosa | 1st Hampshire | 2/18/2021 |
James K. Hawkins | 2nd Bristol | 2/26/2021 |
Tricia Farley-Bouvier | 3rd Berkshire | 2/26/2021 |
Chynah Tyler | 7th Suffolk | 5/18/2021 |
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1434 FILED ON: 2/5/2021
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 183
By Representatives Barber of Somerville and Rogers of Cambridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 183) of Christine P. Barber, David M. Rogers and others relative to child support determinations and payments. Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities. |
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)
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An Act to further family-centered child support.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1. Chapter 18 of the general laws is hereby amended by striking section 18A and inserting in place thereof the following new section:--
Section 18A. (a)(1). The department shall impose the sanction required by federal law on any recipient of public assistance funded under Title IV-A of the Social Security Act who, without good cause, does not cooperate with the IV-D agency specified in chapter 119A to establish paternity or to establish, modify, or enforce a child support order on behalf of a child for whom the recipient receives such public assistance.
(2) The department shall determine that a recipient has good cause for not cooperating with the IV-D agency for purposes of this section if:
(A)The child was conceived as a result of incest or rape;
(B)Proceedings for the adoption of the child are pending or under consideration;
(C)Cooperation risks discouraging the noncustodial parent or other relatives of the child from maintaining a relationship with the child or providing emotional or other support;
(D) Cooperation risks physical or emotional harm to the child or the relative with whom the child resides; or
(E) Cooperation is otherwise not in the child’s best interest.
SECTION 2. Section 2 of chapter 118 of the general laws is hereby amended by inserting at the end of the first paragraph the following:- Child support collected on behalf of a recipient of benefits under this chapter shall be paid to the family. In determining the family’s countable income, the department shall disregard the first $500 per month in child support paid to the family.
SECTION 3. Section 2 of chapter 119A of the general laws is hereby amended by adding at the end of subsection (a) the following:- The IV-D agency shall provide paternity only services in an intrastate case upon the request of an individual who is not required to cooperate with the IV-D agency to establish paternity or to establish, modify, or enforce a child support order.