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11	imputation of income for out-of-date records or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

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