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.
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The General Court provides this information as a public service and while we endeavor to keep the data accurate and current to the best of our ability, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.