LD 1589
pg. 5
Page 4 of 6 An Act To Improve Child Support Services Page 6 of 6
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LR 614
Item 1

 
Sec. 12. 19-A MRSA §2451, first ¶, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 694, Pt.
B, §2 and affected by Pt. E, §2, is amended to read:

 
Within 30 days of receiving notice of any action under this
article, including an administrative decision establishing an
obligation to provide health insurance and payment for other
medical expenses, and including an administrative decision that
did not establish an obligation to provide health insurance and
payment for other medical expenses, the responsible parent or the
department may move for a review of any action under this article
by serving a request for review, together with an affidavit
stating the grounds upon which the request is based, upon the
other party. The department may review any action under this
article without proceeding under this section. The department
acting on behalf of another state or its instrumentality or a
person residing in another state constitutes good cause within
the meaning of Title 5, section 9057, subsection 5.

 
SUMMARY

 
This bill makes the following changes to the laws governing
child support.

 
1. It requires the court to order either or both parents of a
juvenile to pay child support in accordance with the child
support guidelines when the court commits a juvenile to the
Department of Health and Human Services, to the Department of
Corrections juvenile correctional facility or to a relative or
other person pursuant to the Maine Juvenile Code.

 
2. It allows the Commissioner of Health and Human Services to
designate employees of the department who are not attorneys to
represent the department in proceedings involving the expedited
process for the commencement of paternity actions filed by a
party other than the department and in proceedings to hear a
motion to modify child support.

 
3. It provides that both parents are responsible for child
support if a caretaker relative provides primary residential care
for a child.

 
4. It provides that with regard to any initial or modified
child support order that affects more than one child and that was
entered before January 18, 2005, unless that order states the
manner in which the order must be modified upon the events listed
in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 19-A, section 2006,
subsection 8, paragraph G, subparagraphs (1) to (4), such an
order must be automatically modified to address any of the
following events: any child reaches 18 years of age and has


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