Senate Bill 1142

    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 1142

    By Senator Diaz-Balart





    37-797-00

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to child support guidelines;

  3         providing legislative intent; providing an

  4         effective date.

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  6         WHEREAS, the federal government requires states to have

  7  presumptive child support guidelines for use in determing the

  8  amount of child support awards, and

  9         WHEREAS, the federal government also requires states to

10  review their guidelines every 4 years to ensure that their

11  application results in the determination of appropriate child

12  support award amounts, and

13         WHEREAS, the determination of appropriate child support

14  award amounts is becoming increasingly more difficult as a

15  result of the increasing number of never-formed families,

16  separated or divorced families, and blended families, and

17         WHEREAS, child support awards that are perceived to be

18  appropriate and fair are more likely to be paid completely and

19  in a timely fashion, NOW, THEREFORE,

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21  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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23         Section 1.  The Legislature intends to provide the

24  direction necessary to improve and facilitate the

25  establishment of adequate and reasonable child support awards

26  in this state, with the primary goal of improving

27  opportunities for children. It is also the intent of the

28  Legislature that, to the extent practicable, the laws of this

29  state should encourage and require a child's parents to meet

30  the obligation of providing that child with adequate food,

31  shelter, clothing, education, health care, and child care.

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 2000                                  SB 1142
    37-797-00




  1         Section 2.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

  2  law.

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  5                          SENATE SUMMARY

  6    Expresses legislative intent to improve and facilitate
      the establishment of adequate and reasonable child
  7    support awards, and to encourage and require parents to
      provide their children with adequate food, shelter,
  8    clothing, education, health care, and child care.

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