Opinion ID: 897052
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: statement of intent

Text: It is the intent of this amendment to direct the Department of Human Services to include in the child support guidelines consideration of extended periods of time a minor child spends with the child's obligor parent. The guidelines should consider extended periods of time to mean those situations where an obligor parent has custody of the child for 60 out of 90 consecutive days, or in instances where the parties will have joint physical custody with the child residing with each parent close to equal time. The phrase close to equal time shall mean where each parent has physical custody of the child at least 45% of the time. Logan, at ¶ 24 (quoting the Senate Judiciary Committee's Statement of Intent). It is clear from this Statement of Intent that N.D. Admin. Code § 75-02-04.1-08.1 was intended to apply regardless of whether the divorce decree orders visitation or custody for the obligor parent that exceeds 60 of 90 consecutive nights. Additionally, N.D.C.C. § 14-09-09.7(1)(e), the statutory authority for N.D. Admin. Code § 75-02-04.1-08.1, does not distinguish between custody and visitation, but uses the phrase extended periods of time. See N.D.C.C. § 14-09-09.7(1)(e). Therefore, we conclude Nathan's child support obligation in this case must be determined under N.D. Admin. Code § 75-02-04.1-08.1. [1]