HF2456

HF2456 (Legislative Session 94 (2025-2026))

Cost-of-living adjustments in maintenance or child support orders repealed, and conforming changes made.

Related bill: SF2666

AI Generated Summary

Purpose of the Bill

The bill aims to repeal the automatic cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for child support and maintenance orders in Minnesota. It seeks to make necessary amendments to various sections of the Minnesota Statutes to ensure that they align with this repeal.

Main Provisions

Repeal of Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLAs): The bill eliminates the requirement for COLAs in maintenance or child support orders. This change means that such orders will no longer automatically increase with inflation.
Modification Procedures: The bill details the procedures for modifying child support obligations based on income changes, but no retroactive reductions will be allowed unless a motion is filed.
Allocation of Expenses: For orders issued on or after January 1, 2027, child care, medical, and related costs will be divided between parents based on proportionate income, without automatic COLA adjustments.
Medical Support Costs: Clarifies how costs for private health care coverage and other health-related expenses will be split, emphasizing proportional sharing of costs based on income.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

Removal of COLAs: The removal of automatic COLAs marks a significant shift from prior law, which required adjustments according to the Consumer Price Index to keep up with inflation.
Conforming Changes: The bill updates various sections to remove references to COLAs in the context of child support and maintenance.

Relevant Terms

Child Support
Maintenance Orders
Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA)
Parents' Income
Proportionate Share
Medical Support
Child Care Expenses
Modification of Child Support

Bill text versions

Introduction PDF file
1st Engrossment PDF file

Past committee meetings

Judiciary Finance and Civil Law on: April 03, 2025 16:30
Judiciary Finance and Civil Law on: April 03, 2025 10:15

Actions

Date	Chamber	Where	Type	Name	Committee Name
March 16, 2025	House	Floor	Action	Introduction and first reading, referred to	Judiciary Finance and Civil Law
March 26, 2025	House	Floor	Action	Motion to recall and re-refer, motion prevailed	Children and Families Finance and Policy
April 01, 2025	House	Floor	Action	Committee report, to adopt as amended and re-refer to	Judiciary Finance and Civil Law
April 02, 2025	House	Floor	Action	Author added
April 02, 2025	House	Floor	Action	Author added

Citations

[
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "New language specifies that these notices expire on January 1, 2027.",
        "Clarifies that wage and income deduction can occur with or without notice under certain conditions."
      ],
      "removed": [
        "No explicit removals mentioned."
      ],
      "summary": "This bill amends the required notices in child support orders as outlined in section 518.68 subdivision 2.",
      "modified": [
        "Updates references to other related statutes regarding support and maintenance."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "518.68 subdivision 2"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "None."
      ],
      "removed": [
        "None."
      ],
      "summary": "This bill amends the computation of child support obligations in section 518A.34.",
      "modified": [
        "Updates references to other sections for determining parental obligations.",
        "Clarifies the computation of child support when parents have split custody."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "518A.34"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "None."
      ],
      "removed": [
        "None."
      ],
      "summary": "Covers felonies related to depriving another of custodial or parental rights.",
      "modified": [
        "None."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "609.26"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "None."
      ],
      "removed": [
        "None."
      ],
      "summary": "Defines criminal penalties for nonsupport of a spouse or child.",
      "modified": [
        "None."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "609.375"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "None."
      ],
      "removed": [
        "None."
      ],
      "summary": "This bill amends the determination of child care support costs in section 518A.40 subdivision 3.",
      "modified": [
        "Clarifies how child care expenses should be averaged for seasonal employment or extended parenting time."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "518A.40 subdivision 3"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Specifies that the amount allocated for medical support is considered child support for purposes of collection."
      ],
      "removed": [
        "None."
      ],
      "summary": "This bill amends how medical support costs are handled in section 518A.41 subdivision 5.",
      "modified": [
        "Details how private health care coverage costs should be allocated between parties."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "518A.41 subdivision 5"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "None."
      ],
      "removed": [
        "None."
      ],
      "summary": "Provides a scale for determining noncustodial parent's contribution towards public health care coverage.",
      "modified": [
        "Clarifies how contributions are determined using MinnesotaCare guidelines."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "256L.15 subdivision 2"
  }
]