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SB504 SUB1 Senate Bill 504 History

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Key: Green = existing Code. Red = new code to be enacted
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE

FOR


Senate Bill No. 504

(By Senators Bowman and Unger)

____________

[Originating in the Committee on Health and Human Resources;

reported February 21, 2008.]

____________


A BILL to repeal §48-18-201, §48-18-202, §48-18-203, §48-18-204, §48-18-205 and §48-18-206 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; to amend and reenact §38-3-18 of said code; to amend and reenact §48-1-205, §48-1-225, §48-1-230 and §48-1- 302 of said code; to amend and reenact §48-11-103 and §48-11- 105 of said code; to amend said code by adding thereto a new section, designated §48-13-804; to amend and reenact §48-14- 102, §48-14-106, §48-14-108, §48-14-203, §48-14-302, §48-14- 404, §48-14-407, §48-14-408, §48-14-414, §48-14-502, §48-14- 503, §48-14-701 and §48-14-801 of said code; to amend and reenact §48-15-201 of said code; to amend and reenact §48-17- 101, §48-17-102, §48-17-103, §48-17-105, §48-17-106, §48-17- 107 and §48-17-109 of said code; to amend and reenact §48-18- 102, §48-18-118, §48-18-120 and §48-18-126 of said code; and to amend said code by adding thereto four new sections, designated §48-18-118a, §48-18-126a, §48-18-126b and §48-18- 126c, all relating generally to child support enforcement; clarifying findings of fact in court orders when income is attributed for purposes of setting child support; clarifying that prescription drugs are included in medical support; providing that inmate concession accounts are income for withholding purposes; reducing the interest rate on unpaid child support from ten percent per annum to five percent per annum; providing for support to continue past age eighteen by operation of law; establishing a procedure for refunding of properly withheld amounts when a support order is modified; requiring family court judges enter default orders setting child support; allowing the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement to bring an action for medical support; providing refund procedures when a party to a support order is deceased; clarifying that an affidavit of accrued support may be filed in the court where the original order was entered; clarifying that certain enforcement remedies for child support arrearages will toll the running of the statute of limitations; allowing the collection through income withholding of court-ordered fees; clarifying that withholding limitations do not apply to bonuses; providing for remedies against employers who improperly withhold child support; creating consistency among civil contempt penalties; authorizing the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement to collect an additional one hundred dollars when arrearage triggers are met; eliminating the requirement that the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement attorney meet with the parties prior to the posting of a bond; authorizing the Tax Commissioner to deny issuance or reissuance of a business license; reconstituting the Child Support Enforcement Commission to allow for review of the child support formula by the commission; clarifying the duties of the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement Commissioner with respect to the child support formula; allowing the Tax Commissioner to supply names and addresses to the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement for enforcement of support obligations; allowing collection of overpayments to support obligees from state tax refunds; clarifying the requirement that parties receive annual statements; requiring the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement to review all public assistance cases every three years; clarifying that attorneys for the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement may enter an administrative order to modify a child support obligation; providing for consistency of service of process; and making technical corrections.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That §48-18-201, §48-18-202, §48-18-203, §48-18-204, §48-18- 205 and §48-18-206 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be repealed; that §38-3-18 of said code be amended and reenacted; that §48-1-205, §48-1-225, §48-1-230 and §48-1-302 of said code be amended and reenacted; that §48-11-103 and §48-11-105 of said code be amended and reenacted; that said code be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated §48-13-804; that §48-14-102, §48- 14-106, §48-14-108, §48-14-203, §48-14-302, §48-14-404, §48-14-407, §48-14-408, §48-14-414, §48-14-502, §48-14-503, §48-14-701 and §48- 14-801 of said code be amended and reenacted; that §48-15-201 of said code be amended and reenacted; that §48-17-101, §48-17-102, §48-17-103, §48-17-105, §48-17-106, §48-17-107 and §48-17-109 of said code be amended and reenacted; that §48-18-102, §48-18-118, §48-18-120 and §48-18-126 of said code be amended and reenacted; and that said code be amended by adding thereto four new sections, designated §48-18-118a, §48-18-126a, §48-18-126b and §48-18-126c, all to read as follows:
CHAPTER 38. LIENS.
ARTICLE 3. JUDGMENT LIENS.

§38-3-18. Limitations on enforcement of judgments.
(a) On a judgment, execution or an income withholding as provided in article fourteen, chapter forty-eight of this code may be issued within ten years after the date thereof. Where execution or an income withholding issues within ten years as aforesaid, other executions or income withholdings may be issued on such judgment within ten years from the return day of the last execution or date of last income withholding issued thereon, on which there is no return by an officer, or which has been returned unsatisfied or on which no payment has been withheld.
(b) An execution may be issued upon a judgment for child or spousal support, as those terms are defined in chapter forty-eight of this code, within ten years after the emancipation of the child: Provided, That in cases where the support order is for more than one child, the limitations set for in subsection (a) of this section commence when the youngest child that is the subject of the order on which the execution is based reaches the age of eighteen or is otherwise legally emancipated.
(c)An action, suit or scire facias may be brought upon a judgment where there has been a change of parties by death or otherwise at any time within ten years next after the date of the judgment; or within ten years from the return day of the last execution or income withholding issued thereon on which there is no return by an officer or which has been returned unsatisfied. But if such action, suit or scire facias be against the personal representative of a decedent, it shall be brought within five years from the qualification of such representative.
CHAPTER 48. DOMESTIC RELATIONS.

ARTICLE 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS; DEFINITIONS.
§48-1-205. Attributed income defined.

(a) "Attributed income" means income not actually earned by a parent but which may be attributed to the parent because he or she is unemployed, is not working full time, or is working below full-earning capacity or has nonperforming or underperforming assets. Income may be attributed to a parent if the court evaluates the parent's earning capacity in the local economy (giving consideration to relevant evidence that pertains to the parent's work history, qualifications, education and physical or mental condition) and determines that the parent is unemployed, is not working full time, or is working below full-earning capacity. Income may also be attributed to a parent if the court finds that the obligor has nonperforming or underperforming assets.
(b) If an obligor: (1) Voluntarily leaves employment or voluntarily alters his or her pattern of employment so as to be unemployed, underemployed or employed below full-earning capacity; (2) is able to work and is available for full-time work for which he or she is fitted by prior training or experience; and (3) is not seeking employment in the manner that a reasonably prudent person in his or her circumstances would do, then an alternative method for the court to determine gross income is to attribute to the person an earning capacity based on his or her previous income. If the obligor's work history, qualifications, education or physical or mental condition cannot be determined, or if there is an inadequate record of the obligor's previous income, the court may, as a minimum, base attributed income on full-time employment (at forty hours per week) at the federal minimum wage in effect at the time the support obligation is established. In order for the court to consider attribution of income, it is not necessary for the court to find that the obligor's termination or alteration of employment was for the purpose of evading a support obligation.
(c) Income shall not be attributed to an obligor who is unemployed or underemployed or is otherwise working below full-earning capacity if any of the following conditions exist:
(1) The parent is providing care required by the children to whom both of the parties owe a joint legal responsibility for support and such children are of preschool age or are handicapped or otherwise in a situation requiring particular care by the parent;
(2) The parent is pursing a plan of economic self-improvement which will result, within a reasonable time, in an economic benefit to the children to whom the support obligation is owed, including, but not limited to, self-employment or education: Provided, That if the parent is involved in an educational program, the court shall ascertain that the person is making substantial progress toward completion of the program;
(3) The parent is, for valid medical reasons, earning an income in an amount less than previously earned; or
(4) The court makes a written finding that other circumstances exist which would make the attribution of income inequitable: Provided, That in such case, the court may decrease the amount of attributed income to an extent required to remove such inequity.
(d) The court may attribute income to a parent's nonperforming or underperforming assets, other than the parent's primary residence. Assets may be considered to be nonperforming or underperforming to the extent that they do not produce income at a rate equivalent to the current six-month certificate of deposit rate or such other rate that the court determines is reasonable.
CHAPTER 48. DOMESTIC RELATIONS.

ARTICLE 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS; DEFINITIONS.
§48-1-225. Extraordinary medical expenses defined.

"Extraordinary medical expenses" means uninsured medical expenses in excess of two hundred fifty dollars per year per child which are recurring and can reasonably be predicted by the court at the time of establishment or modification of a child support order. Such expenses shall include, but not be limited to, insurance copayments and deductibles, reasonable costs for necessary orthodontia, dental treatment, asthma treatments, physical therapy, prescription pharmaceuticals, vision therapy and eye care and any uninsured chronic health problem.
§48-1-230. Income defined.
"Income" includes, but is not limited to, the following:
(1) Commissions, earnings, salaries, wages, and other income due or to be due in the future to an individual from his or her employer and successor employers;
(2) Any payment due or to be due in the future to an individual from a profit-sharing plan, a pension plan, an insurance contract, an annuity, social security, unemployment compensation, supplemental employment benefits, workers' compensation benefits, state lottery winnings and prizes, and overtime pay;
(3) Any amount of money which is owing to an individual as a debt from an individual, partnership, association, public or private corporation, the United States or any federal agency, this state or any political subdivision of this state, any other state or a political subdivision of another state or any other legal entity which is indebted to the obligor;
(4) Any amount of money which is held by the Regional Jail Authority for an inmate in an inmate's concession account.
§48-1-302. Calculation of interest.
(a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of the code, if an obligation to pay interest arises under this chapter, the rate of interest is ten five percent per annum and proportionate thereto for a greater or lesser sum, or for a longer or shorter time. Interest awarded shall only be simple interest and nothing in this section may be construed to permit awarding of compound interest. Interest accrues only upon the outstanding principal of such obligation.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no court may award or approve prejudgment interest in a domestic relations action against a party unless the court finds, in writing, that the party engaged in conduct that would violate subsection (b), Rule 11 of the West Virginia Rules of Civil Procedure. If prejudgment interest is awarded, the court shall calculate prejudgment interest from the date the offending representation was presented to the court pursuant to subsection (a) of this section.
(c) Upon written agreement by both parties, an obligor may petition the court to enter an order conditionally suspending the collection of all or part of the interest that has accrued on past-due child support prior to the date of the agreement: Provided, That said agreement shall also establish a reasonable payment plan which is calculated to fully discharge all arrearages within twenty-four months. Upon successful completion of the payment plan, the court shall enter an order which permanently relieves the obligor of the obligation to pay the accrued interest. If the obligor fails to comply with the terms of the written agreement, then the court shall enter an order which reinstates the accrued interest.
(d) Amendments to this section enacted by the Legislature during the two thousand six regular session shall become effective the first day of January, two thousand seven.
ARTICLE 11. SUPPORT OF CHILDREN.
§48-11-103. Child support beyond age eighteen.

(a) Upon a specific finding of good cause shown and upon findings of fact and conclusions of law in support thereof, a An order for child support may shall provide that payments of such support continue beyond the date when the child reaches the age of eighteen, so long as the child is unmarried and residing with a parent, guardian or custodian and is enrolled as a full-time student in a secondary educational or vocational program and making substantial progress towards a diploma: Provided, That such payments may not extend past the date that the child reaches the age of twenty.
(b) Nothing herein shall be construed to abrogate or modify existing case law regarding the eligibility of handicapped or disabled children to receive child support beyond the age of eighteen.
(c) The reenactment of this section during the regular session of the Legislature in the year one thousand nine hundred ninety-four shall not, by operation of law, have any effect upon or vacate any order or portion thereof entered under the prior enactment of this section which awarded educational and related expenses for an adult child accepted or enrolled and making satisfactory progress in an educational program at a certified or accredited college. Any such order or portion thereof shall continue in full force and effect until the court, upon motion of a party, modifies or vacates the order upon a finding that:
(1) The facts and circumstances which supported the entry of the original order have changed, in which case the order may be modified;
(2) The facts and circumstances which supported the entry of the original order no longer exist because the child has not been accepted or is not enrolled in and making satisfactory progress in an educational program at a certified or accredited college, or the parent ordered to pay such educational and related expenses is no longer able to make such payments, in which case the order shall be vacated;
(3) The child, at the time the order was entered, was under the age of sixteen years, in which case the order shall be vacated;
(4) The amount ordered to be paid was determined by an application of child support guidelines in accordance with the provisions of article 13-101, et seq., of this chapter, or legislative rules promulgated thereunder, in which case the order may be modified or vacated; or (5) The order was entered after the fourteenth day of March, one thousand nine hundred ninety-four, in which case the order shall be vacated.
§48-11-105. Modification of child support order.
(a) The court may modify a child support order, for the benefit of the child, when a motion is made that alleges a change in the circumstances of a parent or another proper person or persons. A motion for modification of a child support order may be brought by a custodial parent or any other lawful custodian or guardian of the child, by a parent or other person obligated to pay child support for the child or by the Bureau for Child Support enforcement of the Department of Health and Human Resources of this state.
(b) The provisions of the order may be modified if there is a substantial change in circumstances. If application of the guideline would result in a new order that is more than fifteen percent different, then the circumstances are considered a substantial change.
(c) An order that modifies the amount of child support to be paid shall conform to the support guidelines set forth in article 13-101, et seq., of this chapter unless the court disregards the guidelines or adjusts the award as provided for in section 13-702.
(d) The Supreme Court of Appeals shall make available to the courts a standard form for a petition for modification of an order for support, which form will allege that the existing order should be altered or revised because of a loss or change of employment or other substantial change affecting income or that the amount of support required to be aid is not within fifteen percent of the child support guidelines. The clerk of the circuit court and the secretary-clerk of the family court shall make the forms available to persons desiring to represent themselves in filing a motion for modification of the support award.
(e) Upon entry of an order modifying a child support amount the court shall, no later than five days from entry of the order, provide a copy of the modified order to the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement. If an overpayment to one of the parties occurs as a result of the modified terms of the order, funds properly withheld by the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement pursuant the terms of the original order shall not be returned until such time as the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement receives repayment from the party in possession of the overpayment.
ARTICLE 13. GUIDELINES FOR CHILD SUPPORT AWARDS.
§48-13-804. Default orders.
(a) In any proceeding in which the amount of support is to be established, if the party has been served with proper pleadings and has been notified of the date, time and place of a hearing before a family court judge and does not enter an appearance or file a response, the family court judge shall prepare a default order for entry, which order fixes support in an amount in accordance with the child support guidelines contained in article thirteen of this chapter.
(1) When applying the child support guidelines, the court may accept financial information from the other party as accurate, pursuant to rule 13(b) of the rules of practice and procedure for family court; or
(2) If financial information is not available, the court may attribute income to the party based upon either:
(i) The party's work history;
(ii) Minimum wage, if appropriate; or
(iii) At a minimum, enter a child support order in a nominal amount unless, in the court's discretion, a zero support order should be entered.
(b) All orders shall provide for automatic withholding from income of the obligor pursuant to part four of article fourteen of this chapter.
ARTICLE 14. REMEDIES FOR THE ENFORCEMENT OF SUPPORT OBLIGATIONS.
§48-14-102. Who may bring action for child support order.
An action may be brought under the provisions of section 14-101 by:
(1)A custodial parent of a child, when the divorce order or other order which granted custody did not make provision for the support of the child by the obligor;
(2)A primary caretaker of a child;
(3)A guardian of the property of a child or the committee for a child; or
(4)The Bureau for Child Support Enforcement, on behalf of the state, when the Department of Health and Human Resources is providing assistance on behalf of the child or the person to whom a duty of support is owed, in the form of temporary assistance to needy families or medical assistance, and any right to support has been assigned to the department or in any other case wherein a party has applied for child support enforcement services from the Bureau for Child Support enforcement; or
§48-14-106.
Modification of support order.

(a)At any time after the entry of an order for support, the court may, upon the verified petition of an obligee or the obligor, revise or alter such order and make a new order as the altered circumstances or needs of a child, an obligee or the obligor may render necessary to meet the ends of justice.
(b) The Supreme Court of Appeals shall make available to the family courts a standard form for a petition for modification of an order for support, which form will allege that the existing order should be altered or revised because of a loss or change of employment or other substantial change affecting income or that the amount of support required to be paid is not within fifteen percent of the child support guidelines. The clerk of the circuit court and the secretary-clerk of the family court shall make such forms available to persons desiring to petition the court pro se for a modification of the support award.
(c) Upon entry of an order modifying a child support amount the court shall, no later than five days from entry of the order, provide a copy of the modified order to the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement. If an overpayment to one of the parties occurs as a result of the modified terms of the order, funds properly withheld by the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement pursuant the terms of the original order shall not be returned until such time as the Bureau for Child Support enforcement receives repayment from the party in possession of the overpayment.
§48-14-108. Deceased parties in support cases.
In the event of the death of any party to a domestic relations support action, support payments or a refund of support payments due to the party by the obligee, obligor, or the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement, not in excess of one thousand dollars, may, upon proper demand, be paid, in the absence of actual notice of the pendency of probate proceedings, without requiring letters testamentary or of administration in the following order of preference to decedent's: (1) Surviving spouse; (2) children eighteen years of age and over in equal shares; (3) father and mother, or survivor; and (4) sisters and brothers. Payments under this section shall release and discharge the obligee, obligor or the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement to the amount of such payment.
§48-14-203. Affidavit of accrued support.
(a) The affidavit of accrued support may be filed with the clerk of the circuit court in the county in which the obligee or the obligor resides, in the county where the order originated, or where the obligor's source of income is located.
The affidavit may be filed when a payment required by such order has been delinquent, in whole or in part, for a period of fourteen days.
(c) The affidavit shall:
(1) Identify the obligee and obligor by name and address, and shall list the last four digits of the obligor's social security number or numbers, if known;
(2) Name the court which entered the support order and set forth the date of such entry;
(3) State the total amount of accrued support which has not been paid by the obligor; and
(4) List the date or dates when support payments should have been paid but were not, and the amount of each such delinquent payment; and
(5) (4) State the name and address of the obligor's source of income, if known.
§48-14-302. Affidavit of accrued support.
The affidavit and abstract as provided in section four, article three, chapter thrity-eight of this code shall be filed with the clerk of the county commission in which the real property is located or in the county where the order originated. The affidavit shall:
(1) Identify the obligee and obligor by name and address, and shall list the last four digits of the obligor's social security number or numbers, if known;
(2) Name the court which entered the support order and set forth the date of such entry;
(3) Allege that the support obligor is at least thirty days in arrears in the payment of child support;
(4) State the total amount of accrued support which has not been paid by the obligor. and
(5) List the date or dates when support payments should have been paid but were not, and the amount of each such delinquent payment.
§48-14-404. Enforcement of withholding by Bureau for Child Support Enforcement.

The withholding from an obligor's income of amounts payable as spousal or child support or fees awarded by a court of competent jurisdiction to the state in connection with the establishment of paternity and support or the enforcement of a support order shall be enforced by the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement in accordance with the provisions of this part 4. If an overpayment of spousal or child support occurs and an arrearage exists, the Bureau for Child Support shall first offset the overpayment of spousal or child support against the arrearage. If no arrearage exists with which to offset the overpayment or the arrearage is not sufficient to offset the overpayment and the obligee does not enter into a repayment agreement with the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement, the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement may issue an income withholding to the obligee's employer to recoup the amount of the overpayment. The income withholding shall be in the same manner as provided in article fourteen of this chapter: Provided, That in no circumstances may the amount withheld exceed thirty-five percent of the disposable earnings for the period, regardless of the length of time that the overpayment has been owed.
§48-14-407. Contents of notice to source of income.
(a) The source of income of any obligor who is subject to withholding, upon being given notice of withholding, shall withhold from such obligor's income the amount specified by the notice and pay such amount to the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement for distribution. The notice given to the source of income shall contain only such information as may be necessary for the source of income to comply with the withholding order and no source of income may require additional information or documentation. Such notice to the source of income shall include, at a minimum, the following:
(1) The amount to be withheld from the obligor's disposable earnings, and a statement that the amount to be withheld for support and other purposes, including the fee specified under subdivision (3) of this subsection, may not be in excess of the maximum amounts permitted under Section 303(b) of the federal Consumer Credit Protection Act or limitations imposed under the provisions of this code;
(2) That the source of income shall send the amount to be withheld from the obligor's income to the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement, along with such identifying information as may be required by the bureau, the same day that the obligor is paid;
(3) That, in addition to the amount withheld under the provisions of subdivision (1) of this subsection, the source of income may deduct a fee, not to exceed one dollar, for administrative costs incurred by the source of income for each withholding;
(4) That withholding is binding on the source of income until further notice by the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement or until the source of income notifies the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement of a termination of the obligor's employment in accordance with the provisions of section four hundred twelve of this article;
(5) That the source of income is subject to a fine for discharging an obligor from employment, refusing to employ or taking disciplinary action against any obligor because of the withholding;
(6) That when the source of income fails to withhold income in accordance with the provisions of the notice, the source of income is liable for the accumulated amount the source of income should have withheld from the obligor's income;
(7) That the withholding under the provisions of this part shall have priority over any other legal process under the laws of this state against the same income and shall be effective despite any exemption that might otherwise be applicable to the same income;
(8) That when an employer has more than one employee who is an obligor who is subject to wage withholding from income under the provisions of this code, the employer may combine all withheld payments to the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement when the employer properly identifies each payment wit the information listed in this part. A source of income is liable to an obligee, including the State of West Virginia or the Department of Health and Human Resources where appropriate, for any amount which the source of income fails to identify with the information required by this part and is therefore not received by the obligee;
(9) That the source of income shall implement withholding no later than the first pay period or first date for payment of income that occurs after fourteen days following the date the notice to the source of income was mailed; and
(10) That the source of income shall notify the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement promptly when the obligor terminates his or her employment or otherwise ceases receiving income from the source of income and shall provide the obligor's last known address and the name and address of the obligor's new source of income, if known.
(b) When the court reduces an order of support, The commission shall, by administrative rule, establish procedures for promptly refunding to obligors amounts which have been improperly withheld under the provisions of this part. the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement is not liable for refunding amounts which have been withheld pursuant to a court order which was valid at the time that the bureau received the funds unless the funds were kept by the state. The obligee or obligor who received the benefit of the withheld amounts shall be liable for promptly refunding any amounts which would constitute an overpayment of the support obligation.
§48-14-408. Determination of amounts to be withheld.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this code to the contrary which provides for a limitation upon the amount which may be withheld from earnings through legal process, the amount of an obligor's aggregate disposable earnings for any given workweek which may be withheld as support payments is to be determined in accordance with the provisions of this subsection, as follows:
(1) After ascertaining the status of the payment record of the obligor under the terms of the support order, the payment record shall be examined to determine whether any arrearage is due for amounts which should have been paid prior to a twelve-week period which ends with the workweek for which withholding is sought to be enforced.
(2) Prior to the first day of January, two thousand one, when none of the withholding is for amounts which came due prior to such twelve-week period, then:
(A) When the obligor is supporting another spouse or dependent child other than the spouse or child for whom the proposed withholding is being sought, the amount withheld may not exceed fifty percent of the obligor's disposable earnings for that week; and
(B) When the obligor is not supporting another spouse or dependent child as described in paragraph (A) of this subdivision, the amount withheld may not exceed sixty percent of the obligor's disposable earnings for that week.
(3) Prior to the first day of January, two thousand one, when a part of the withholding is for amounts which came due prior to such twelve-week period, then:
(A) Where the obligor is supporting another spouse or dependent child other than the spouse or child for whom the proposed withholding is being sought, the amount withheld may not exceed fifty-five percent of the obligor's disposable earnings for that week; and
(B) Where the obligor is not supporting another spouse or dependent child as described in paragraph (A) of this subdivision, the amount withheld may not exceed sixty-five percent of the obligor's disposable earnings for that week.
(4) Beginning the first day of January, two thousand one, when none of the withholding is for amounts which came due prior to such twelve-week period, then:
(A) When the obligor is supporting another spouse or dependent child other than the spouse or child for whom the proposed withholding is being sought, the amount withheld may not exceed forty percent of the obligor's disposable earnings for that week; and
(B) When the obligor is not supporting another spouse or dependent child as described in paragraph (A) of this subdivision, the amount withheld may not exceed fifty percent of the obligor's disposable earnings for that week.
(5) Beginning the first day of January, two thousand one, when a part of the withholding is for amounts which came due prior to such twelve-week period, then:
(A) When the obligor is supporting another spouse or dependent child other than the spouse or child for whom the proposed withholding is being sought, the amount withheld may not exceed forty-five percent of the obligor's disposable earnings for that week; and
(B) Where the obligor is not supporting another spouse or dependent child as described in paragraph (A) of this subdivision, the amount withheld may not exceed fifty-five percent of the obligor's disposable earnings for that week.
(6) In addition to the percentage limitations set forth in subdivisions (2) and (3) of this subsection, it shall be a further limitation that when the current month's obligation plus arrearages are being withheld from salaries or wages in no case shall the total amounts withheld for the current month's obligation plus arrearage exceed the amounts withheld for the current obligation by an amount greater than twenty-five percent of the current monthly support obligation.
(7) The provisions of this subsection shall apply directly to the withholding of disposable earnings of an obligor regardless of whether the obligor is paid on a weekly, biweekly, monthly or other basis.
(8) The Bureau for Child Support Enforcement has the authority to prorate the current support obligation in accordance with the pay cycle of the source of income. This prorated current support obligation shall be known as the "adjusted support obligation." The current support obligation or the adjusted support obligation is the amount, if unpaid, on which interest will be charged.
(9) When an obligor acts so as to purposefully minimize his or her income and to thereby circumvent the provisions of this part 4 which provide for withholding from income of amounts payable as support, the amount to be withheld as support payments may be based upon the obligor's potential earnings rather than his or her actual earnings, and such obligor may not rely upon the percentage limitations set forth in this subsection which limit the amount to be withheld from disposable earnings.
(10) For the purpose of securing overdue support, this section does not apply to earnings denominated as bonuses. When an employer pays a bonus to an employee and that employee is subject to a support order, the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement may withhold one hundred percent of the bonus to satisfy a support arrearage.
§48-14-414. Sending amounts withheld to the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement; notice.

A source of income is liable to an obligee, including the State of West Virginia or the Department of Health and Human Resources where appropriate, for any amount which the source of income fails to withhold from income due an obligor following receipt by such source of income of proper notice under section 14-407: Provided, That a source of income shall not be required to vary the normal pay and disbursement cycles in order to comply with the provisions of this section. The Bureau for Child Support Enforcement may assess a civil penalty of no more than five hundred dollars per occurrence for the failure of any person, corporation, financial institution, labor organization or state agency to comply with requirements of this section. The Bureau for Child Support Enforcement may file an action with the circuit court to enforce the assessed penalty. The court has the authority to award the bureau a judgment for the amount of the civil penalty or such other reasonable amount as the court shall deem appropriate.
§48-14-502. Willful failure or refusal to comply with order to pay support.

If the court finds that the obligor willfully failed or refused to comply with an order requiring the payment of support, the court shall find the obligor in contempt and may do one or more of the following:
(1) Require additional terms and conditions consistent with the court's support order.
(2) After notice to both parties and a hearing, if requested by a party, on any proposed modification of the order, modify the order in the same manner and under the same requirements as an order requiring the payment of support may be modified under the provisions of part 5-701, et seq. A modification sought by an obligor, if otherwise justified, shall not be denied solely because the obligor is found to be in contempt.
(3) Order that all accrued support and interest thereon be paid under such terms and conditions as the court, in its discretion, may deem proper.
(4) Order the contemnor to pay support in accordance with a plan approved by the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement or to participate in such work activities as the court deems appropriate.
(5) If appropriate under the provisions of section 1-304.
(A) Commit the contemnor to the county or regional jail; or
(B) Commit the contemnor to the county or regional jail with the privilege of leaving the jail, during such hours as the court determines and under such supervision as the court considers necessary, for the purpose of allowing the contemnor to go to and return from his or her place of employment.
§48-14-503. Limitation on length of commitment.
(a) A commitment under subdivision (5) of section 14-502 shall not exceed forty-five days for the first adjudication of contempt or ninety days for any subsequent adjudication of contempt confine the contemnor to jail for a period not to exceed six months or until such time as the contemnor has purged himself or herself, whichever shall occur first.
(b) An obligor committed under subdivision (5) of section 14-502 shall be released by court order if the court has reasonable cause to believe that the obligor will comply with the court's order.
§48-14-701. Posting of bonds or giving security to guarantee payment of overdue support.

(a) An obligor with a pattern of overdue support may be required by order of the court to post bond, give security or some other guarantee to secure payment of overdue support. The guarantee may include an order requiring that stocks, bonds or other assets of the obligor be held in escrow by the court until the obligor pays the support.
(b) No less than fifteen days before such an order may be entered, the Bureau for Child Support enforcement attorney shall cause the mailing of a notice by first class mail to the obligor informing the obligor of the impending action, his or her right to contest it, and setting forth a date, time and place for a meeting with the Bureau for Child Support enforcement attorney and the date, time and place of a hearing before the family court if the impending action is contested.
§48-14-801. When monthly payments may be increased to satisfy overdue support.

(a) For the purpose of securing overdue support, the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement has the authority to increase the monthly support payments of an obligor by as much as one hundred dollars per month to satisfy the arrearage when:
(1) An obligor has failed to make payments as required by a support order and arrears are equal to an amount of support payable for six months if the order requires support to be paid in monthly installments; or
(2) An obligor has failed to make payments as required by a support order and arrears are equal to an amount of support payable for twenty-seven weeks if the order requires support to be paid in weekly or biweekly installments.
(b) For the purpose of securing overdue support, the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement has the authority to increase the monthly support payments of an obligor by as much as two hundred dollars per month to satisfy the arrearage when:
(1) An obligor's gross income equals or exceeds sixty-five thousand dollars; and,
(2) An obligor has failed to make payments as required by a support order and arrears are equal to an amount of support payable for twelve months if the order requires support to be paid in monthly installments; or
(3) An obligor has failed to make payments as required by a support order and arrears are equal to an amount of support payable for fifty-four weeks if the order requires support to be paid in weekly or biweekly installments.
(b) (c) An increase in monthly support under this section will be in addition to any amounts withheld from income pursuant to of this article.
(c) (d) This increase in monthly support may be enforced through the withholding process.
ARTICLE 15. Enforcement of support order through action against license.

PART 2. ACTION AGAINST LICENSE.

§48-15-201. Licenses subject to action.
The following licenses are subject to an action against a license as provided for in this article:
(1) A business registration certificate issued under chapter eleven, article twelve of this code, authorizing a person to transact business in the State of West Virginia.
(1) (2) A permit or license issued under chapter seventeen-b of this code, authorizing a person to drive a motor vehicle;
(2) (3) A commercial driver's license, issued under chapter seventeen-e of this code, authorizing a person to drive a class of commercial vehicle;
(3) (4) A permit, license or stamp issued under article two or two-b, chapter twenty of this code, regulating a person's activities for wildlife management purposes, authorizing a person to serve as an outfitter or guide, or authorizing a person to hunt or fish;
(4) (5) A license or registration issued under chapter thirty of this code, authorizing a person to practice or engage in a profession or occupation;
(5) (6) A license issued under article twelve, chapter forty-seven of this code, authorizing a person to transact business as a real estate broker or real estate salesperson;
(6) (7) A license or certification issued under article fourteen, chapter thirty-seven of this code, authorizing a person to transact business as a real estate appraiser;
(7) (8) A license issued under article twelve, chapter thirty-three of this code, authorizing a person to transact insurance business as an agent, broker or solicitor;
(8) (9) A registration made under article two, chapter thirty-two of this code, authorizing a person to transact securities business as a broker-dealer, agent or investment advisor;
(9) (10) A license issued under article twenty-two, chapter twenty-nine of this code, authorizing a person to transact business as a lottery sales agent;
(10) (11) A license issued under articles thirty-two or thirty-our, chapter sixteen of this code, authorizing persons to pursue a trade or vocation in asbestos abatement or radon mitigation;
(11) (12) A license issued under article eleven, chapter twenty-one of this code, authorizing a person to act as a contractor;
(12) (13) A license issued under article two-c, chapter nineteen of this code, authorizing a person to act as an auctioneer; and
(13) (14) A license, permit or certificate issued under chapter nineteen of this code, authorizing a person to sell, market or distribute agricultural products or livestock.
ARTICLE 17. WEST VIRGINIA SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT COMMISSION.
§48-17-101. Creation of Support Enforcement Commission; number of members.

The West Virginia Support Enforcement Commission, consisting of eight nine members, is hereby created in the Department of Health and Human Resources and may use the administrative support and services of that department. The Commission is not subject to control, supervision or direction by the Department of Health and Human Resources, but is an independent, self-sustaining commission that shall have the powers and duties specified in this chapter.
The Commission is a part-time commission whose members perform such duties as specified in this chapter. The ministerial duties of the Commission shall be administered and carried out by the Commissioner of the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement, with the assistance of such staff of the Department of Health and Human Resources as the Secretary may assign.
Each member of the Commission shall devote the time necessary to carry out the duties and obligations of the office and the seven members appointed by the Governor may pursue and engage in another business, occupation or gainful employment that is not in conflict with the duties of the Commission.
While the Commission is self-sustaining and independent, it, its members, its employees and the Commissioner are subject to article nine-a of chapter six, chapter six-b, chapter twenty-nine-a and chapter twenty-nine-b of this code.
§48-17-102. Appointment of members of support enforcement Commission; qualifications and eligibility.

(a) Of the eight nine members of the commission, seven members are to be appointed by the governor: Provided, That no more than five members of the commission may belong to the same political party.
(1) One member is to be a lawyer licensed by, and in good standing with, the West Virginia state bar, with at least five years of professional experience in domestic relations law and the establishment and enforcement of support obligations;
(2) One member is to be a person experienced as a public administrator in the supervision and regulation of a governmental agency;
(3) One member is to be an employer experienced in withholding support payments from the earnings of obligors;
(4) One member is to be a practicing family court judge, as an ex-officio member, who will serve in an advisory capacity, without compensation or voting rights; and
(5) Three members are to be representatives of the public at large, with at least one being an obligor and one being an obligee.
(b) One member is to be the commissioner of the bureau for children and families, department of health and human resources, or his or her designee.
(c) The Commissioner of the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement, or his or her designee, is an ex-officio non-voting member of the commission.
(c) (d) Each member of the commission is to be a citizen of the United States, a resident of the state of West Virginia and at least twenty-one years of age.
§48-17-103. Terms of commission members; conditions of membership.
(a) Beginning June 1, 2008, and every four years thereafter, the Governor shall convene the Commission to review the child support guidelines, in accordance with the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 45, Section 302.56(C)(3)(e).
(b) The Governor shall make appointments by June 1, 2008 and on the first day of June every four years thereafter.
(c) The Commissioner shall report is findings and recommendations to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Health and Human Resources Accountability by the first day of July, 2009, and by the first day of July every four years thereafter.
(d) The Commissioners terms shall expire on the first day of July in the year in which they submit the required report Legislature as set forth in subsection (c) of this section.
§48-17-105. Commission chairman.
The Commissioner of the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement shall serve as the chair of the commission.
§48-17-106. Compensation of members; reimbursement for expenses.
(a) Each voting member of the commission shall receive one hundred dollars for each day or portion thereof spent in the discharge of his or her official duties.
(b) Each member of the commission shall be reimbursed for all actual and necessary expenses and disbursements involved in the execution of official duties.
§48-17-107. Meeting requirements.
(a) The commission shall meet within the state at least twice per calendar year and at such other times as the chairman may decide. The commission shall also meet upon a call of four or more members upon seventy-two hours written notice to each member. at least twice during the one year term for the sole purpose of reviewing the child support guidelines set forth in article thirteen of this chapter. The commission may determine if it needs to convene more frequently to effectively study the guidelines, but shall not meet more than eight times during the one year term.
(b) Four members of the commission are a quorum for the transaction of any business and for the performance of any duty.
(c) A majority vote of the members present is required for any final determination by the commission.
(d) The commission may elect to meet in executive session after an affirmative vote of a majority of its members present according to section four, article nine-a, chapter six of this code;
(e) The commission shall keep a complete and accurate record of all its meetings according to section five, article nine-a, chapter six of this code.
§48-17-109. General duties of support enforcement commission.
(a) Federal law requires that each state periodically review the formula used to set child support obligations to determine appropriate awards for the support of children. States are required to consider current research and stat on the costs of and expenditures necessary for rearing children. A process for review of th guidelines should be established to ensure the integrity of the formula and reviews undertaken to comply with federal law.
(b) The commission shall review and analyze:
(1) The current child support guidelines;
(2) Relevant research and data regarding the cots of child rearing;
(3) Research and data on the application of, and deviations from, the child support guidelines;
(4) Current law, administrative rules, and practices regarding child support; and
(5) Any other data the commission deems relevant to the review of the current child support guidelines.
ARTICLE 18. BUREAU FOR CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT.
§48-18-102. Appointment of commissioner; duties; compensation.
(a) There is hereby created the position of commissioner. whose duties include the ministerial management and administration of the office of the support enforcement commission. The commissioner shall:
(1) Be appointed by the secretary;
(2) Serve at the will and pleasure of the secretary;
(3) Serve on a full-time basis and shall not engage in any other profession or occupation, including the holding of a political office in the state either by election or appointment, while serving as commissioner;
(4) Be a lawyer licensed by, and in good standing with, the West Virginia State Bar; and
(5) Have responsible administrative experience, possess management skills, and have knowledge of the law as it relates to domestic relations and the establishment and enforcement of support obligations.
Before entering upon the discharge of the duties as commissioner, the commissioner shall take and subscribe to the oath of office prescribed in section five, Article IV of the Constitution of West Virginia.
(b) The duties of the commissioner shall include the following:
(1) To direct and administer the daily operations of the commission;
(2) (1) To administer the Child Support Enforcement Fund created pursuant to section 18-107 of this article;
(2) To chair the commission set forth in article seventeen of this chapter for the purpose of conducting the federally required review of the child support formula every four years and make a report to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Health and Human Resources Accountability of the commission's findings.
(3) To keep the records and papers of the commission, including a record of each proceeding; and
(4) To prepare, issue and submit reports of the commission. and
(5) To perform any other duty that the commission directs.
(c) All payments to the commissioner as compensation shall be made from the Child Support Enforcement Fund. The commissioner is entitled to:
(1) A reasonable and competitive compensation package to be established by the secretary; and
(2) Reimbursement for expenses under the standard state travel regulations.
§48-18-118. Obtaining support from state income tax refunds.
(a) The Tax Commissioner shall establish procedures necessary for the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement to obtain payment of past due support from state income tax refunds from overpayment made to the Tax Commissioner pursuant to the provisions of article twenty-one, chapter eleven, of this code.
(b) The Bureau for Child Support Enforcement Commissioner shall establish procedures necessary for the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement to enforce a support order through a notice to the Tax Commissioner which will cause any refund of state income tax which would otherwise by payable to an obligor to be reduced by the amount of overdue support owed by such obligor.
(1) Such legislative rule The procedures shall, at a minimum, prescribe:
(A) The time or times at which the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement shall serve on the obligor or submit to the Tax Commissioner notices of past due support;
(B) The manner in which such notices shall be served on the obligor or submitted to the Tax Commissioner;
(C) The necessary information which shall be contained in or accompany the notices;
(D) The amount of the fee to be paid to the Tax commissioner for the full cost of applying the procedure whereby past due support is obtained from state income tax refunds; and
(E) Circumstances when the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement may deduct a twenty-five dollar fee from the obligor's state income tax refund. This procedure may not require a deduction from the state income tax refund of an applicant who is a recipient of assistance from the Bureau for Children and Families in the form of temporary assistance for needy families.
(2) Withholding from state income tax refunds may not be pursued unless the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement has examined the obligor's pattern of payment of support and the obligee's likelihood of successfully pursuing other enforcement actions, and has determined that the amount of past due support which will be owed, at the time the withholding is to be made, will be one hundred dollars or more. In determining whether the amount of past due support will be one hundred dollars or more, the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement shall consider the amount of all unpaid past due support, including that which may have accrued prior to the time that the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement first agreed to enforce the support order.
(c) The Commissioner of the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement shall enter into agreements with the Secretary of the Treasury and the Tax Commissioner, and other appropriate governmental agencies, to secure information relating to the social security number or numbers and the address or addresses of any obligor, and the name or names and address or addresses of any employer or employers, in order to provide notice between such agencies to aid the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement in requesting state income tax deductions and to aid the Tax Commissioner in enforcing such deductions. In each such case, the Tax Commissioner, in processing the state income tax deduction, shall notify the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement of the obligor's home address and social security number or numbers. The Bureau for Child Support Enforcement shall provide this information to any other state involved in processing the support order;
(d) For the purposes of this section, "past due support" means the amount of unpaid past due support owed under the terms of a support order to or on behalf of a child, or to or on behalf of a minor child and the parent with whom the child is living; regardless of whether the amount has been reduced to a judgment or not.
(e) The Bureau for Child Support Enforcement may, under the provisions of this section, enforce the collection of past due support on behalf of a child who has reached the age of majority.
(f) The procedure shall, at a minimum, provide that prior to notifying the Tax Commissioner of past due support, a notice to the obligor as prescribed under subsection (a) of this section shall:
(1) Notify the obligor that a withholding will be made from any refund otherwise payable to such obligor;
(2) Instruct the obligor of the steps which may be taken to contest the determination of the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement that past due support is owed or the amount of the past due support; and
(3) Provide information with respect to the procedures to be followed, in the case of a joint return, to protect the share of the refund which may be payable to another person.
(g) If the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement is notified by the Tax Commissioner that the refund from which withholding is proposed to be made is based upon a joint return, and if the past due support which is involved has not been assigned to the Department of Health and Human Resources, the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement may delay distribution of the amount withheld until such time as the Tax Commissioner notifies the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement that the other person filing the joint return has received his or her proper share of the refund, but such delay shall not exceed six months.
(h) In any case in which an amount is withheld by the Tax Commissioner under the provisions of this section and paid to the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement, if the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement subsequently determines that the amount certified as past due was in excess of the amount actually owed at the time the amount withheld is to be distributed, the agency shall pay the excess amount withheld to the obligor thought to have owed the past due support or, in the case of amounts withheld on the basis of a joint return, jointly to the parties filing the return.
(i) The amounts received by the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement shall be distributed in accordance with the provisions for distribution set forth in 42 U.S.C. § 657.
§48-18-118a. Obtaining refunds of overpaid support from state income tax refunds.

(a) Definitions.
(1) "Obligee" means the same as that term is defined in section two-hundred thirty-four, article one of this chapter.
(2) "Obligor" means the same as that term is defined in section two hundred thirty-five, article one of this chapter.
(3) "Overpaid support" means the same as that term is defined in section two hundred thirty-five, article one of this chapter.
(b) The Tax Commissioner shall cooperate with the Commissioner of the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement in establishing and implementing procedures for the collection of overpaid child support from state income tax refunds that are payable to obligees. The Tax Commissioner shall collect the refunds and send the amounts to the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement for distribution to obligors who made the overpayment.
§48-18-120. Statements of account.
The Bureau for Child Support enforcement shall provide annual statements of their account to each obligor and obligee without charge. Additional statements of account shall be provided at a fee of five dollars, unless such fee is waived pursuant to a rule promulgated by the commission. Statements provided under this subsection are in addition to statements provided for judicial hearings. The commissioner shall establish procedures whereby an obligor or obligee can contest or correct a statement of account.
§48-18-126. Review and adjustment of child support orders.
(a) A party seeking a modification of a child support order pursuant to section one hundred five, article eleven of this chapter and section one hundred six, article fourteen of this chapter shall file a petition for modification with the circuit clerk's office in the county where the original order was issued. Any petition for modification filed with the circuit clerk shall constitute an application for services with the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement and the circuit clerk shall forward the petition for modification to the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement within seven days of receipt.
(b) A party seeking the recalculation of support and modification of the support order shall state the reason for the requested decrease or increase in their petition for modification on the standard form to be provided by the clerk of the circuit court. The standard form shall be verified and signed by the filing party and filed with clerk of the circuit court. Any available documentary evidence as to the circumstances which have given rise to the need for a modification shall be filed with the standard form.
(c) The Bureau for Child Support Enforcement shall serve a notice of the filing and a copy of the standard form upon both parties within ten days of receipt from the clerk of the circuit court. The Bureau for Child Support Enforcement shall also issue a subpoena duces tecum for financial documentation to the opposing party by certified mail, return receipt requested, pursuant to section one hundred twenty-three, article eighteen of this chapter with delivery restricted to the addressee, in accordance with Rule 4(d)(1)(D) of the West Virginia Rules of Civil Procedure.
(d) The notice and subpoena shall inform the party that unless financial information is received within twenty days of receipt of the notice and subpoena as evidenced by the return receipt, the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement will recalculate the child support amount pursuant to the guidelines set forth in article thirteen of this chapter and based upon the information provided by the requesting party or readily available to the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement. If necessary, the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement shall attribute income to the opposing party as provided for in article thirteen of this chapter.
(e) The Bureau for Child Support Enforcement shall recalculate the support obligation within forty-five days of the initial filing of the petition for modification. The recalculation and a proposed order of modification, if modification is deemed to be appropriate, shall be served upon both parties by certified mail, return receipt requested, with delivery restricted to the addressee, in accordance with Rule 4(d)(1)(D) of the West Virginia Rules of Civil Procedure. In determining whether to administratively modify a support obligation the Bureau shall use the standards for modification of a support obligation found in subsection b of article 11, section 105 of this chapter.
(f) If the administrative order is not contested by either party in writing within ten working days of the receipt of the proposed administrative order, the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement Attorney will execute the administrative order and forward the original administrative order to the clerk of the circuit court for entry and direct the clerk of the circuit court to forward certified copies of the final administrative order to all parties. (g) The final administrative child support order shall set forth the justification for the modification. A copy of the calculation work sheet as provided in article thirteen of this chapter shall be attached to the order. Final administrative child support orders shall make such relief retroactive to the date of service of the petition for modification on the opposing party. (h) A final administrative order may be appealed to the family court judge within twenty days from the date of entry by the clerk of the circuit court. (i) Final administrative orders entered by the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement shall be accorded the same force and effect as an order entered by a family court judge or a circuit court judge. (j) The authority of the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement to conduct an administrative child support review is limited solely to modification of child support amounts. Any other issues, including, but not limited to, modification of spousal support, visitation and property distribution, shall be addressed by the family court. (k) The Supreme Court of Appeals shall develop the all standard forms required by this section.
§48-18-126a. Family court review of final administrative orders of the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement.

A person who alleges that he or she will be adversely affected or aggrieved by a final Child Support Enforcement is entitled to a de novo review of the administrative order by the family court. §48-18-126b. Petition for review.
(a) Within twenty days following the entry of an administrative order by the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement, either party may file a petition for review with the family court. (b) A petition for review of a administrative order of the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement shall be filed in the office of the clerk of the circuit court. At the time of filing the petition, a copy of the petition for review must be served on all parties to the proceeding in the same manner as pleadings subsequent to an original complaint are served under Rule 5 of the West Virginia Rules of Civil Procedure.
(c) The family court judge may require, or a party may choose to submit with the petition for review, a brief in support of the petition.
(d) A respondent shall have fifteen days after the filing of a petition to file a reply to the petition for review. The reply must be served on all parties to the proceeding in the same manner required for service of the petition. The family court judge may require, or a party may choose to submit with the reply, a brief in opposition to the petition. (e) In addition to the reply, the respondent may file a cross-petition to the petition for review within fifteen days after the filing of the petition. The respondent to the cross-petition shall have fifteen days after the filing of the cross-petition to file a reply. The cross-petition and any reply must be served in the same manner required for service of the original petition. The family court judge may require or either party may choose to submit a brief on the cross-petition.
(f) The Bureau for Child Support Enforcement shall not be responsible for any fees, including, but not limited to, filing fees, service fees and attorney fees, associated with a review of an administrative child support order.
(g) The Supreme Court of Appeals shall develop and provide forms for petitions for review filed pursuant to this section. The forms shall be made available for distribution in the offices of the clerks of the circuit courts and in the offices of the family court judges.
§48-18-126c. Review by circuit court; record; standard of review; temporary order upon remand.

(a) The family court judge may enter an order refusing to consider the petition for review or a cross-petition for review if the court finds:
(1) The party presenting the petition has not complied with required procedures, including service on the other party;
(2) The petition for review fails to state an error of law or a misapplication of law to the facts or other grounds for reversal or remand; or (3) Construing the financial evidence presented to the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement in the light most favorable to the party filing the petition for review, the petition fails to state a genuine issue as to any fact material to the decision of the attorney for the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement.
(b) If the family court does not enter an order refusing to consider the petition for review, the court shall consider the review and may affirm or reverse the administrative order or may affirm or reverse the order in part. An administrative order may not be remanded to the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement. (c) If the family court judge agrees to consider a petition for review, the court shall provide the parties an opportunity to appear for oral argument, present evidence, upon the request of either party or in the discretion of the court. (d) The family court judge must enter an order ruling on a petition for review within sixty days from the last day a reply to the petition for review could have been filed.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to: (1)clarify the definition of attributed income; (2) clarify that prescription pharmaceuticals are included in medical support; (3) clarify that an inmate's concession account is considered income for child support purposes; (4) reducing the rate of interest charged on child support orders;(5)clarify that support automatically extends past age 18, not to exceed age 20, when a child is still in high school by operation of law; (6) to provide for administrative modification of child support orders; (7) clarify when funds are to be refunded; (8) reinsert a statute that was deleted during recodification relating to default and temporary orders; (9) clarify that the Bureau may bring an action for support in medical only cases; (10) clarify refund procedures when a party is deceased; (11) clarify where to file an affidavit of accrued support and to remove restrictive reporting requirements; (12) establish a definitive statute of limitations for child support orders;(13) clarify that fees and overpayments may be collected through income withholding; (14) clarify that the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement is not responsible for refunding support collected in good faith; (15)clarify that withholding limitations do not apply to bonuses; (16) provide strengthened remedies against employers who fail to comply; (17) correct code sites; (18) have the penalty for civil contempt be the same whether the action is initiated by a private individual or by the bureau; (19)authorize the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement to add an additional one hundred dollars to a withholding when the obligor is in arrears;(20) remove the provision requiring the BCSE attorney meet with an individual and to allow a staff member to fulfill this duty; (21) clarify that the Tax Commissioner has the authority to deny issuance or re-issuance of a business license;(22)to rconstitute the Support Enforcement Commission;(23)authorize the Commissioner to study the child support formula as required by 45 C.F.R. 302.56(C)(3)(e);(24) authorize the Tax Commissioner to release the names and address of employers to the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement;(25) establish procedures to collect overpayments from obligees; to (26) repeal the provision concerning the issuance of payment coupons; and to (27) clarify that the Bureau for Child Support Enforcement shall review all TANF cases every three years; and to (28)make the requirement provisions of process of service consistent.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.

Section §48-13-804, §48-18-118a, §48-18-126a, §48-17-126b and §48-17-126c are new therefore strike-throughs and underscoring have been omitted.

Sections §48-17-103, §48-17-105 and §48-17-109 have been substantially rewritten therefore strike-throughs and underscoring have been omitted.
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