SF2666

SF2666 (Legislative Session 94 (2025-2026))

Maintenance and child support orders cost-of-living adjustments repeal

Related bill: HF2456

AI Generated Summary

Purpose of the Bill

The bill aims to repeal the automatic cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) for maintenance (alimony) and child support orders in Minnesota. It also makes necessary changes to related statutes to conform with this repeal.

Main Provisions

Repeal of Cost-of-Living Adjustments: The bill eliminates the provision that allowed automatic COLA based on the consumer price index for child support and maintenance payments. This applies to orders issued before January 1, 2027, and modifies future orders accordingly.
Conforming Amendments: Changes are made to existing laws and forms to reflect the removal of COLA. This includes adjustments in the calculation of child support obligations and documentation required for child and medical support.
New Regulation on Support Adjustments: The bill emphasizes that any modifications to child support, due to changes like job loss or pay reduction, will only take effect once ordered by the court and are not retroactive without prior motion filing.
Medical and Child Care Support Allocation: For orders issued after January 1, 2027, the cost of private health care coverage and unreimbursed expenses must be divided based on each parent's financial capability, but these are not adjusted by COLA.

Significant Changes

Eliminating Automatic Adjustments: By repealing the cost-of-living adjustment clause, the bill requires any adjustments to child support or maintenance payments to be court-ordered rather than occurring automatically with inflation.
Handling Medical Support: The bill outlines the treatment of medical support costs, ensuring they are calculated without relying on automatic COLA.

Relevant Terms

Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA)
Child Support
Maintenance/Alimony
Minnesota Statutes
Public Assistance
Private Health Care Coverage
Unreimbursed Health Expenses
Judicial Modification

Bill text versions

Introduction PDF file

Actions

Date	Chamber	Where	Type	Name	Committee Name
March 16, 2025	Senate	Floor	Action	Introduction and first reading
March 16, 2025	Senate	Floor	Action	Referred to	Judiciary and Public Safety

Citations

[
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This bill specifies that payments for maintenance and support must be made to the public agency responsible for child support enforcement when the recipient is on public assistance or has applied for collection services under section 518A.50.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "Minnesota Statutes section 518A.50"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "The document references this statute regarding felony charges for depriving another of custodial rights.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "Minnesota Statutes section 609.26"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This statute is mentioned in connection to criminal penalties for non-support of a spouse or child.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "Minnesota Statutes section 609.375"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "The bill references this section for rules about obtaining judgments for unpaid support.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "Minnesota Statutes section 548.091"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "The statute addresses details around determining costs in child support obligations, which the bill modifies.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "Minnesota Statutes section 518A.40"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Concerns medical support costs and conditions for health-related expenses; this section is mentioned throughout the bill.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "Minnesota Statutes section 518A.41"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This statute is referenced in context to parenting time and related expenses.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "Minnesota Statutes section 518.175"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Referenced concerning attorney fees and collection costs for child support enforcement.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "Minnesota Statutes section 518.14"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "The statute is amended regarding the preparation of contents of legal notices relating to child support penalties and enforcement.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "Minnesota Statutes section 518.68"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "Referenced in the context of conditions for judgments for attorney fees related to child support.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "Minnesota Statutes section 518A.735"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This statute is mentioned when discussing the appointment of parenting time expeditors.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "Minnesota Statutes section 518.1751"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This statute is referred to in relation to MinnesotaCare premium scales and public health care coverage responsibilities.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "Minnesota Statutes section 256L.15"
  },
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [],
      "removed": [],
      "summary": "This is referenced to explain requirements for public health care coverage.",
      "modified": []
    },
    "citation": "Minnesota Statutes section 256B"
  }
]