CS/HB 907

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to child support guidelines; amending s.
3	61.13, F.S.; requiring all child support orders after a
4	certain date to contain certain provisions; creating s.
5	61.29, F.S.; providing principles for implementing the
6	support guidelines schedule; amending s. 61.30, F.S.;
7	requiring that census information be used if information
8	about earnings level in the community is not available;
9	providing that the burden of proof is on the party seeking
10	to impute income to the other party; providing for the
11	calculation of the obligor parent's child support payment
12	under certain circumstances; revising the deviation
13	factors that a court may consider when adjusting a
14	parent's share of the child support award; providing an
15	effective date.
16
17	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
18
19	Section 1.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section
20	61.13, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
21	61.13  Support of children; parenting and time-sharing;
22	powers of court.-
23	(1)(a)  In a proceeding under this chapter, the court may
24	at any time order either or both parents who owe a duty of
25	support to a child to pay support to the other parent or, in the
26	case of both parents, to a third party who has the person with
27	custody in accordance with the child support guidelines schedule
28	in s. 61.30.
29	1.  All child support orders and income deduction orders
30	entered on or after October 1, 2010, must provide:
31	a.  For child support to terminate on a child's 18th
32	birthday unless the court finds or previously found that s.
33	743.07(2) applies, or is otherwise agreed to by the parties;
34	b.  A schedule, based on the record existing at the time of
35	the order, stating the amount of the monthly child support
36	obligation for all the minor children at the time of the order
37	and the amount of child support that will be owed for any
38	remaining children after one or more of the children are no
39	longer entitled to receive child support; and
40	c.  The month, day, and year that the reduction or
41	termination of child support becomes effective.
42	2.  The court initially entering an order requiring one or
43	both parents to make child support payments has continuing
44	jurisdiction after the entry of the initial order to modify the
45	amount and terms and conditions of the child support payments if
46	when the modification is found necessary by the court to be in
47	the best interests of the child;, when the child reaches
48	majority; if, when there is a substantial change in the
49	circumstances of the parties; if, when s. 743.07(2) applies;, or
50	when a child is emancipated, marries, joins the armed services,
51	or dies. The court initially entering a child support order has
52	continuing jurisdiction to require the obligee to report to the
53	court on terms prescribed by the court regarding the disposition
54	of the child support payments.
55	Section 2.  Section 61.29, Florida Statutes, is created to
56	read:
57	61.29  Child support guidelines; principles.-The courts
58	shall adhere to the following principles in implementing the
59	child support guidelines schedule:
60	(1)  A parent's first and principal obligation is to
61	support his or her minor child.
62	(2)  Both parents are mutually responsible for the support
63	of their children.
64	(3)  Each parent should pay for the support of the children
65	according to a parent's ability to pay.
66	(4)  Children should share in the standard of living of
67	both parents. Child support may therefore be appropriately used
68	to improve the standard of living of the children's primary
69	residence in order to improve the lives of the children.
70	(5)  The guidelines schedule takes into account each
71	parent's actual income and level of responsibility for the
72	children.
73	(6)  It is presumed that the parent having primary physical
74	responsibility for the children contributes a significant
75	portion of his or her available resources for the support of the
76	children.
77	(7)  The guidelines schedule is based on the parents'
78	combined net income estimated to have been allocated to the
79	child if the parents and children were living in an intact
80	household.
81	(8)  The guidelines schedule encourages fair and efficient
82	settlement of conflicts between parents and minimizes the need
83	for litigation.
84	Section 3.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) and subsections
85	(6), (7), and (11) of section 61.30, Florida Statutes, are
86	amended to read:
87	61.30  Child support guidelines; retroactive child
88	support.-
89	(2)  Income shall be determined on a monthly basis for each
90	parent as follows:
91	(b)  Monthly income on a monthly basis shall be imputed to
92	an unemployed or underemployed parent if when such unemployment
93	employment or underemployment is found by the court to be
94	voluntary on that parent's part, absent a finding of fact by the
95	court of physical or mental incapacity or other circumstances
96	over which the parent has no control. In the event of such
97	voluntary unemployment or underemployment, the employment
98	potential and probable earnings level of the parent shall be
99	determined based upon his or her recent work history,
100	occupational qualifications, and prevailing earnings level in
101	the community if such information is available. If the
102	information is unavailable or the unemployed or underemployed
103	parent fails to supply the required financial information in a
104	child support proceeding, the earnings level shall be based on
105	the median income of year-round, full-time workers as derived
106	from current population reports or replacement reports published
107	by the United States Bureau of Census. as provided in this
108	paragraph; However, the court may refuse to impute income to a
109	parent if the court finds it necessary for the parent to stay
110	home with the child who is the subject of a child support
111	calculation.
112	1.  To impute income to a party in a child support
113	proceeding, the court must:
114	a.  Conclude that the unemployment or underemployment was
115	voluntary.
116	b.  Determine whether any subsequent underemployment
117	resulted from the spouse's pursuit of his or her own interests
118	or through less than diligent and bona fide efforts to find
119	employment paying income at a level equal to or better than that
120	formerly received.
121	2.  The burden of proof is on the party seeking to impute
122	income to the other party.
123	(6)  The following guidelines schedule shall be applied to
124	the combined net income to determine the minimum child support
125	need:
126
	Combined
127
	Monthly Net Child or Children
128
	Income One Two Three Four Five Six
129
	650.00 74 75 75 76 77 78
130
	700.00 119 120 121 123 124 125
131
	750.00 164 166 167 169 171 173
132
	800.00 190 211 213 216 218 220
133
	850.00 202 257 259 262 265 268
134
	900.00 213 302 305 309 312 315
135
	950.00 224 347 351 355 359 363
136
	1000.00 235 365 397 402 406 410
137
	1050.00 246 382 443 448 453 458
138
	1100.00 258 400 489 495 500 505
139
	1150.00 269 417 522 541 547 553
140
	1200.00 280 435 544 588 594 600
141
	1250.00 290 451 565 634 641 648
142
	1300.00 300 467 584 659 688 695
143
	1350.00 310 482 603 681 735 743
144
	1400.00 320 498 623 702 765 790
145
	1450.00 330 513 642 724 789 838
146
	1500.00 340 529 662 746 813 869
147
	1550.00 350 544 681 768 836 895
148
	1600.00 360 560 701 790 860 920
149
	1650.00 370 575 720 812 884 945
150
	1700.00 380 591 740 833 907 971
151
	1750.00 390 606 759 855 931 996
152
	1800.00 400 622 779 877 955 1022
153
	1850.00 410 638 798 900 979 1048
154
	1900.00 421 654 818 923 1004 1074
155
	1950.00 431 670 839 946 1029 1101
156
	2000.00 442 686 859 968 1054 1128
157
	2050.00 452 702 879 991 1079 1154
158
	2100.00 463 718 899 1014 1104 1181
159
	2150.00 473 734 919 1037 1129 1207
160
	2200.00 484 751 940 1060 1154 1234
161
	2250.00 494 767 960 1082 1179 1261
162
	2300.00 505 783 980 1105 1204 1287
163
	2350.00 515 799 1000 1128 1229 1314
164
	2400.00 526 815 1020 1151 1254 1340
165
	2450.00 536 831 1041 1174 1279 1367
166
	2500.00 547 847 1061 1196 1304 1394
167
	2550.00 557 864 1081 1219 1329 1420
168
	2600.00 568 880 1101 1242 1354 1447
169
	2650.00 578 896 1121 1265 1379 1473
170
	2700.00 588 912 1141 1287 1403 1500
171
	2750.00 597 927 1160 1308 1426 1524
172
	2800.00 607 941 1178 1328 1448 1549
173
	2850.00 616 956 1197 1349 1471 1573
174
	2900.00 626 971 1215 1370 1494 1598
175
	2950.00 635 986 1234 1391 1517 1622
176
	3000.00 644 1001 1252 1412 1540 1647
177
	3050.00 654 1016 1271 1433 1563 1671
178
	3100.00 663 1031 1289 1453 1586 1695
179
	3150.00 673 1045 1308 1474 1608 1720
180
	3200.00 682 1060 1327 1495 1631 1744
181
	3250.00 691 1075 1345 1516 1654 1769
182
	3300.00 701 1090 1364 1537 1677 1793
183
	3350.00 710 1105 1382 1558 1700 1818
184
	3400.00 720 1120 1401 1579 1723 1842
185
	3450.00 729 1135 1419 1599 1745 1867
186
	3500.00 738 1149 1438 1620 1768 1891
187
	3550.00 748 1164 1456 1641 1791 1915
188
	3600.00 757 1179 1475 1662 1814 1940
189
	3650.00 767 1194 1493 1683 1837 1964
190
	3700.00 776 1208 1503 1702 1857 1987
191
	3750.00 784 1221 1520 1721 1878 2009
192
	3800.00 793 1234 1536 1740 1899 2031
193
	3850.00 802 1248 1553 1759 1920 2053
194
	3900.00 811 1261 1570 1778 1940 2075
195
	3950.00 819 1275 1587 1797 1961 2097
196
	4000.00 828 1288 1603 1816 1982 2119
197
	4050.00 837 1302 1620 1835 2002 2141
198
	4100.00 846 1315 1637 1854 2023 2163
199
	4150.00 854 1329 1654 1873 2044 2185
200
	4200.00 863 1342 1670 1892 2064 2207
201
	4250.00 872 1355 1687 1911 2085 2229
202
	4300.00 881 1369 1704 1930 2106 2251
203
	4350.00 889 1382 1721 1949 2127 2273
204
	4400.00 898 1396 1737 1968 2147 2295
205
	4450.00 907 1409 1754 1987 2168 2317
206
	4500.00 916 1423 1771 2006 2189 2339
207
	4550.00 924 1436 1788 2024 2209 2361
208
	4600.00 933 1450 1804 2043 2230 2384
209
	4650.00 942 1463 1821 2062 2251 2406
210
	4700.00 951 1477 1838 2081 2271 2428
211
	4750.00 959 1490 1855 2100 2292 2450
212
	4800.00 968 1503 1871 2119 2313 2472
213
	4850.00 977 1517 1888 2138 2334 2494
214
	4900.00 986 1530 1905 2157 2354 2516
215
	4950.00 993 1542 1927 2174 2372 2535
216
	5000.00 1000 1551 1939 2188 2387 2551
217
	5050.00 1006 1561 1952 2202 2402 2567
218
	5100.00 1013 1571 1964 2215 2417 2583
219
	5150.00 1019 1580 1976 2229 2432 2599
220
	5200.00 1025 1590 1988 2243 2447 2615
221
	5250.00 1032 1599 2000 2256 2462 2631
222
	5300.00 1038 1609 2012 2270 2477 2647
223
	5350.00 1045 1619 2024 2283 2492 2663
224
	5400.00 1051 1628 2037 2297 2507 2679
225
	5450.00 1057 1638 2049 2311 2522 2695
226
	5500.00 1064 1647 2061 2324 2537 2711
227
	5550.00 1070 1657 2073 2338 2552 2727
228
	5600.00 1077 1667 2085 2352 2567 2743
229
	5650.00 1083 1676 2097 2365 2582 2759
230
	5700.00 1089 1686 2109 2379 2597 2775
231
	5750.00 1096 1695 2122 2393 2612 2791
232
	5800.00 1102 1705 2134 2406 2627 2807
233
	5850.00 1107 1713 2144 2418 2639 2820
234
	5900.00 1111 1721 2155 2429 2651 2833
235
	5950.00 1116 1729 2165 2440 2663 2847
236
	6000.00 1121 1737 2175 2451 2676 2860
237
	6050.00 1126 1746 2185 2462 2688 2874
238
	6100.00 1131 1754 2196 2473 2700 2887
239
	6150.00 1136 1762 2206 2484 2712 2900
240
	6200.00 1141 1770 2216 2495 2724 2914
241
	6250.00 1145 1778 2227 2506 2737 2927
242
	6300.00 1150 1786 2237 2517 2749 2941
243
	6350.00 1155 1795 2247 2529 2761 2954
244
	6400.00 1160 1803 2258 2540 2773 2967
245
	6450.00 1165 1811 2268 2551 2785 2981
246
	6500.00 1170 1819 2278 2562 2798 2994
247
	6550.00 1175 1827 2288 2573 2810 3008
248
	6600.00 1179 1835 2299 2584 2822 3021
249
	6650.00 1184 1843 2309 2595 2834 3034
250
	6700.00 1189 1850 2317 2604 2845 3045
251
	6750.00 1193 1856 2325 2613 2854 3055
252
	6800.00 1196 1862 2332 2621 2863 3064
253
	6850.00 1200 1868 2340 2630 2872 3074
254
	6900.00 1204 1873 2347 2639 2882 3084
255
	6950.00 1208 1879 2355 2647 2891 3094
256
	7000.00 1212 1885 2362 2656 2900 3103
257
	7050.00 1216 1891 2370 2664 2909 3113
258
	7100.00 1220 1897 2378 2673 2919 3123
259
	7150.00 1224 1903 2385 2681 2928 3133
260
	7200.00 1228 1909 2393 2690 2937 3142
261
	7250.00 1232 1915 2400 2698 2946 3152
262
	7300.00 1235 1921 2408 2707 2956 3162
263
	7350.00 1239 1927 2415 2716 2965 3172
264
	7400.00 1243 1933 2423 2724 2974 3181
265
	7450.00 1247 1939 2430 2733 2983 3191
266
	7500.00 1251 1945 2438 2741 2993 3201
267
	7550.00 1255 1951 2446 2750 3002 3211
268
	7600.00 1259 1957 2453 2758 3011 3220
269
	7650.00 1263 1963 2461 2767 3020 3230
270
	7700.00 1267 1969 2468 2775 3030 3240
271
	7750.00 1271 1975 2476 2784 3039 3250
272
	7800.00 1274 1981 2483 2792 3048 3259
273
	7850.00 1278 1987 2491 2801 3057 3269
274
	7900.00 1282 1992 2498 2810 3067 3279
275
	7950.00 1286 1998 2506 2818 3076 3289
276
	8000.00 1290 2004 2513 2827 3085 3298
277
	8050.00 1294 2010 2521 2835 3094 3308
278
	8100.00 1298 2016 2529 2844 3104 3318
279
	8150.00 1302 2022 2536 2852 3113 3328
280
	8200.00 1306 2028 2544 2861 3122 3337
281
	8250.00 1310 2034 2551 2869 3131 3347
282
	8300.00 1313 2040 2559 2878 3141 3357
283
	8350.00 1317 2046 2566 2887 3150 3367
284
	8400.00 1321 2052 2574 2895 3159 3376
285
	8450.00 1325 2058 2581 2904 3168 3386
286
	8500.00 1329 2064 2589 2912 3178 3396
287
	8550.00 1333 2070 2597 2921 3187 3406
288
	8600.00 1337 2076 2604 2929 3196 3415
289
	8650.00 1341 2082 2612 2938 3205 3425
290
	8700.00 1345 2088 2619 2946 3215 3435
291
	8750.00 1349 2094 2627 2955 3224 3445
292
	8800.00 1352 2100 2634 2963 3233 3454
293
	8850.00 1356 2106 2642 2972 3242 3464
294
	8900.00 1360 2111 2649 2981 3252 3474
295
	8950.00 1364 2117 2657 2989 3261 3484
296
	9000.00 1368 2123 2664 2998 3270 3493
297
	9050.00 1372 2129 2672 3006 3279 3503
298
	9100.00 1376 2135 2680 3015 3289 3513
299
	9150.00 1380 2141 2687 3023 3298 3523
300
	9200.00 1384 2147 2695 3032 3307 3532
301
	9250.00 1388 2153 2702 3040 3316 3542
302
	9300.00 1391 2159 2710 3049 3326 3552
303
	9350.00 1395 2165 2717 3058 3335 3562
304
	9400.00 1399 2171 2725 3066 3344 3571
305
	9450.00 1403 2177 2732 3075 3353 3581
306
	9500.00 1407 2183 2740 3083 3363 3591
307
	9550.00 1411 2189 2748 3092 3372 3601
308
	9600.00 1415 2195 2755 3100 3381 3610
309
	9650.00 1419 2201 2763 3109 3390 3620
310
	9700.00 1422 2206 2767 3115 3396 3628
311
	9750.00 1425 2210 2772 3121 3402 3634
312
	9800.00 1427 2213 2776 3126 3408 3641
313
	9850.00 1430 2217 2781 3132 3414 3647
314
	9900.00 1432 2221 2786 3137 3420 3653
315
	9950.00 1435 2225 2791 3143 3426 3659
316
	10000.00 1437 2228 2795 3148 3432 3666
317
318	(a)  If the obligor parent's For combined monthly net
319	income is less than the amount in set out on the above
320	guidelines schedule:,
321	1.  The parent should be ordered to pay a child support
322	amount, determined on a case-by-case basis, to establish the
323	principle of payment and lay the basis for increased support
324	orders should the parent's income increase in the future.
325	2.  The obligor parent's child support payment shall be the
326	lesser of the obligor parent's actual dollar share of the total
327	minimum child support amount, as determined in subparagraph 1.,
328	and 90 percent of the difference between the obligor parent's
329	monthly net income and the current poverty guidelines as
330	periodically updated in the Federal Register by the United
331	States Department of Health and Human Services pursuant to 42
332	U.S.C. s. 9902(2) for a single individual living alone.
333	(b)  For combined monthly net income greater than the
334	amount set out in the above guidelines schedule, the obligation
335	is shall be the minimum amount of support provided by the
336	guidelines schedule plus the following percentages multiplied by
337	the amount of income over $10,000:
338
	Child or Children
339
	One Two Three Four Five Six
340
	5.0% 7.5% 9.5% 11.0% 12.0% 12.5%
341
342	(7)  Child care costs incurred on behalf of the children
343	due to employment, job search, or education calculated to result
344	in employment or to enhance income of current employment of
345	either parent shall be reduced by 25 percent and then shall be
346	added to the basic obligation. After the adjusted child care
347	costs are added to the basic obligation, any moneys prepaid by a
348	parent for child care costs for the child or children of this
349	action shall be deducted from that parent's child support
350	obligation for that child or those children. Child care costs
351	may shall not exceed the level required to provide quality care
352	from a licensed source for the children.
353	(11)(a)  The court may adjust the total minimum child
354	support award, or either or both parents' share of the total
355	minimum child support award, based upon the following deviation
356	factors:
357	1.  Extraordinary medical, psychological, educational, or
358	dental expenses.
359	2.  Independent income of the child, not to include moneys
360	received by a child from supplemental security income.
361	3.  The payment of support for a parent which regularly has
362	been regularly paid and for which there is a demonstrated need.
363	4.  Seasonal variations in one or both parents' incomes or
364	expenses.
365	5.  The age of the child, taking into account the greater
366	needs of older children.
367	6.  Special needs, such as costs that may be associated
368	with the disability of a child, that have traditionally been met
369	within the family budget even though the fulfilling of those
370	needs will cause the support to exceed the presumptive amount
371	established by the guidelines.
372	7.  Total available assets of the obligee, obligor, and the
373	child.
374	8.  The impact of the Internal Revenue Service Child &
375	Dependent Care Tax Credit, Earned Income Tax Credit, and
376	dependency exemption and waiver of that exemption. The court may
377	order a parent to execute a waiver of the Internal Revenue
378	Service dependency exemption if the paying parent is current in
379	support payments.
380	9.  An When application of the child support guidelines
381	schedule that requires a person to pay another person more than
382	55 percent of his or her gross income for a child support
383	obligation for current support resulting from a single support
384	order.
385	10.  The particular parenting plan, such as where the child
386	spends a significant amount of time, but less than 40 percent of
387	the overnights, with one parent, thereby reducing the financial
388	expenditures incurred by the other parent; or the refusal of a
389	parent to become involved in the activities of the child.
390	11.  Any other adjustment that which is needed to achieve
391	an equitable result which may include, but not be limited to, a
392	reasonable and necessary existing expense or debt. Such expense
393	or debt may include, but is not limited to, a reasonable and
394	necessary expense or debt that which the parties jointly
395	incurred during the marriage.
396	(b)  If Whenever a particular parenting plan provides that
397	each child spend a substantial amount of time with each parent,
398	the court shall adjust any award of child support, as follows:
399	1.  In accordance with subsections (9) and (10), calculate
400	the amount of support obligation apportioned to each parent
401	without including day care and health insurance costs in the
402	calculation and multiply the amount by 1.5.
403	2.  Calculate the percentage of overnight stays the child
404	spends with each parent.
405	3.  Multiply each parent's support obligation as calculated
406	in subparagraph 1. by the sum of one and the smaller percentage
407	calculated in subparagraph 2.
408	4.3.  Multiply each parent's support obligation as
409	calculated in subparagraph 3. 1. by the percentage of the other
410	parent's overnight stays with the child as calculated in
411	subparagraph 2.
412	5.4.  The difference between the amounts calculated in
413	subparagraph 4. is 3. shall be the monetary transfer necessary
414	between the parents for the care of the child, subject to an
415	adjustment for day care and health insurance expenses.
416	6.5.  Pursuant to subsections (7) and (8), calculate the
417	net amounts owed by each parent for the expenses incurred for
418	day care and health insurance coverage for the child. Day care
419	shall be calculated without regard to the 25-percent reduction
420	applied by subsection (7).
421	7.6.  Adjust the support obligation owed by each parent
422	pursuant to subparagraph 5. 4. by crediting or debiting the
423	amount calculated in subparagraph 6. 5. This amount represents
424	the child support which must be exchanged between the parents.
425	8.7.  The court may deviate from the child support amount
426	calculated pursuant to subparagraph 7. 6. based upon the
427	deviation factors in paragraph (a), as well as the obligee
428	parent's low income and ability to maintain the basic
429	necessities of the home for the child, the likelihood that
430	either parent will actually exercise the time-sharing schedule
431	set forth in the parenting plan granted by the court, and
432	whether all of the children are exercising the same time-sharing
433	schedule.
434	8.  For purposes of adjusting any award of child support
435	under this paragraph, "substantial amount of time" means that a
436	parent exercises visitation at least 40 percent of the
437	overnights of the year.
438	(c)  A parent's failure to regularly exercise the court-
439	ordered or agreed time-sharing schedule not caused by the other
440	parent which resulted in the adjustment of the amount of child
441	support pursuant to subparagraph (a)10. or paragraph (b) shall
442	be deemed a substantial change of circumstances for purposes of
443	modifying the child support award. A modification pursuant to
444	this paragraph is shall be retroactive to the date the
445	noncustodial parent first failed to regularly exercise the
446	court-ordered or agreed time-sharing schedule.
447	Section 4.  This act shall take effect January 1, 2011.

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