An Act To Repeal the Automatic Suspension of Child Support Obligations II
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 1650
Committee Amendment CA_A_S435 (Senate)
Amends: 19-A MRSA §2302

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A " to S.P. 549, L.D. 1650, Bill, "An Act To 
Repeal the Automatic Suspension of Child Support Obligations" 
II 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act Concerning the Collection of Child Support Obligations' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and before the summary and 
inserting the following: 
'Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, currently child support obligations are automatically suspended during the 
period a child support obligor receives public assistance; and 
Whereas, current law prohibits the collection of child support debts from child 
support obligors who are receiving public assistance; and 
Whereas, lump sum payments to child support obligors should be available for 
satisfYing past-due child support debts, even while obligors are receiving public 
assistance; and 
Whereas, amending the law to allow the interception of lump sum payments will 
benefit children due child support; and 
Whereas, the Department of Health and Human Services will amend its rules to 
ensure that a child support obligor receiving public assistance does not lose benefits 
based on a lump sum payment when the lump sum payment is intercepted and used to pay 
past-due child support; and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore, 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
~ot!f~ 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A "to S.P. 549, L.D. 1650 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 19-A MRSA §2302, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 255, § 1, IS 
amended to read: 
2. Child support obligation during period that obligor is assisted obligor. For 
the period during which an obligor is an assisted obligor and for 2 weeks thereafter, the 
assisted obligor's child support obligation is automatically suspended. At the end of the 2 
weeks, the obligor's child support obligation resumes automatically at the same level at 
which it was suspended unless modified by an order entered pursuant to subsection 3. 
A debt previously incurred under section 2301 may not be collected from a responsible 
parent while that parent is an assisted obligor, except that such a debt may be collected 
from nonrecurring lump sum income, as defined in Title 22, section 3762, subsection 11, 
paragraph A, of a responsible parent while that parent is an assisted obligor. 
Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect July 1,2012.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the bill. 
The bill repeals the law that automatically 
suspends child support obligations while the obligor receives public assistance. This 
amendment allows the Department of Health and Human Services to intercept, while the 
obligor is receiving public assistance, tax refunds, lottery winnings and other lump sum 
awards to be applied to prior child support debts incurred by the obligor. Current law 
prohibits such collections. 
This amendment replaces the emergency preamble and emergency clause to make the 
law take effect July 1,2012. 
FISCAL "OTE REQClRED 
(See attache~).-
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 03/05112 frac.. 
LD 1650 
LR 2497(02) 
An Act To Repeal the Automatic Suspension of Child Support Obligations 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" 5-Lf~.5 
Committee: Judiciary 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - Other Special Revenue Funds 
Minor revenue increase - Other Special Revenue Funds 
Additional costs and revenue for the Department of Health and Human Services are expected to be minor and can be 
absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
LR2497(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1