The Florida Senate

409.2564  Actions for support.--

(1)  In each case in which regular support payments are not being made as provided herein, the department shall institute, within 30 days after determination of the obligor's reasonable ability to pay, action as is necessary to secure the obligor's payment of current support and any arrearage which may have accrued under an existing order of support. The department shall notify the program attorney in the judicial circuit in which the recipient resides setting forth the facts in the case, including the obligor's address, if known, and the public assistance case number. Whenever applicable, the procedures established under the provisions of chapter 88, Uniform Interstate Family Support Act, chapter 61, Dissolution of Marriage; Support; Custody, chapter 39, Proceedings Relating to Children, chapter 984, Children and Families in Need of Services, and chapter 985, Delinquency; Interstate Compact on Juveniles, may govern actions instituted under the provisions of this act, except that actions for support under chapter 39, chapter 984, or chapter 985 brought pursuant to this act shall not require any additional investigation or supervision by the department.

(2)  The order for support entered pursuant to an action instituted by the department under the provisions of subsection (1) shall require that the support payments be made periodically to the department through the depository. Upon receipt of a payment made by the obligor pursuant to any order of the court, the depository shall transmit the payment to the department within 2 working days, except those payments made by personal check which shall be disbursed in accordance with s. 61.181. Upon request, the depository shall furnish to the department a certified statement of all payments made by the obligor. Such statement shall be provided by the depository at no cost to the department.

(3)  When it is no longer authorized to receive payments for the obligee, the department shall notify the depository to redirect income deduction payments to the obligee.

(4)  Whenever the department has undertaken an action for enforcement of support, the department may enter into an agreement with the obligor for the entry of a judgment determining paternity, if applicable, and for periodic child support payments based on the obligor's reasonable ability to pay. Prior to entering into this agreement, the obligor shall be informed that a judgment will be entered based on the agreement. The clerk of the court shall file the agreement without the payment of any fees or charges, and the court, upon entry of the judgment, shall forward a copy of the judgment to the parties to the action. In making a determination of the obligor's reasonable ability to pay and until guidelines are established for determining child support award amounts, the following criteria shall be considered:

(a)  All earnings, income, and resources of the obligor.

(b)  The ability of the obligor to earn.

(c)  The reasonable necessities of the obligor.

(d)  The needs of the dependent child for whom support is sought.

(5)  Whenever the IV-D agency has undertaken an action to determine paternity, to establish an obligation of support, or to enforce or modify an obligation of support, the IV-D agency shall be a party to the action only for those purposes allowed under Title IV-D of the Social Security Act. The program attorney shall be the attorney of record solely for the purposes of support enforcement as authorized under Title IV-D and may prosecute only those activities which are eligible for federal financial participation under Title IV-D. An attorney-client relationship exists only between the department and the legal services providers in all Title IV-D cases. The attorney shall advise the obligee in Title IV-D cases that the attorney represents the agency and not the obligee.

(6)  The department and its officers, employees, and agents and all persons and agencies acting pursuant to contract with the department are immune from liability in tort for actions taken to establish, enforce, or modify support obligations if such actions are taken in good faith, with apparent legal authority, without malicious purpose, and in a manner not exhibiting wanton and willful disregard of rights or property of another.

(7)  In a judicial circuit with a work experience and job training pilot project, if the obligor is a noncustodial parent of a child receiving public assistance as defined in this chapter, is unemployed or underemployed or has no income, then the court shall order the obligor to seek employment, if the obligor is able to engage in employment, and to immediately notify the court upon obtaining employment, upon obtaining any income, or upon obtaining any ownership of any asset with a value of $500 or more. If the obligor is still unemployed 30 days after any order for support, the court shall order the obligor to enroll in a work experience, job placement, and job training program for noncustodial parents as established in s. 414.38.

(8)  The director of the Title IV-D agency, or the director's designee, is authorized to subpoena from any person financial and other information necessary to establish, modify, or enforce a child support order.

(a)  For the purpose of any investigation under this chapter, any designated employee may administer oaths or affirmations, subpoena witnesses and compel their attendance, take evidence and require the production of any matter which is relevant to the child support enforcement investigation, including the existence, description, nature, custody, condition, and location of any books, documents, or other tangible things and the identity and location of persons having knowledge of relevant facts or any other matter reasonably calculated to lead to the discovery of material evidence.

(b)  Prior to making application to the court for an order compelling compliance with a subpoena, the department shall issue a written notification of noncompliance. Failure to comply within 15 days after receipt of the written notification without good cause may result in the application by the Title IV-D agency to the circuit court for an order compelling compliance with the subpoena. The person who is determined to be in noncompliance with the subpoena shall be liable for reasonable attorney's fees and costs associated with the department bringing this action upon showing by the department that the person failed to comply with the request without good cause.

(9)  In cases in which support is subject to an assignment as provided under 45 C.F.R. s. 301.1, the Title IV-D agency shall, upon providing notice to the obligor and obligee, direct the obligor or other payor to change the payee to the appropriate depository.

(10)(a)  For the purpose of securing delinquent support, the Title IV-D agency may increase the amount of the monthly child support obligation to include amounts for delinquencies, subject to such conditions or limitations as set forth in paragraph (b).

(b)  In child support obligations not subject to income deduction, the Title IV-D agency shall notify the obligor of his or her delinquency and of the department's intent to require an additional 20 percent of the monthly obligation amount to allow for collection of the delinquency unless, within 20 days, the obligor:

1.  Pays the delinquency in full; or

2.  Files a petition with the circuit court to contest the delinquency action.

(11)  For the purposes of denial, revocation, or limitation of an individual's United States Passport, consistent with 42 U.S.C. s. 452(1)(k), the Title IV-D agency shall have procedures to certify to the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, in the format and accompanied by such supporting documentation as the secretary may require, a determination that an individual owes arrearages of child support in an amount exceeding $5,000. Said procedures shall provide that the individual be given notice of the determination and of the consequence thereof and that the individual shall be given an opportunity to contest the accuracy of the determination.

(12)  The Title IV-D agency shall review support orders in IV-D cases at least every 3 years upon request by either party, or the agency in cases where there is an assignment of support to the state under s. 414.095(8), and may seek adjustment of the order if appropriate under the guidelines established in s. 61.30. Not less than once every 3 years the IV-D agency shall provide notice to the parties subject to the order informing them of their right to request a review and, if appropriate, an adjustment of the support order. Said notice requirement may be met by including appropriate language in the initial support order or any subsequent orders.

(13)  The department shall have the authority to adopt rules to implement this section.

History.--s. 5, ch. 76-220; s. 143, ch. 86-220; s. 20, ch. 92-138; s. 12, ch. 95-222; s. 89, ch. 96-175; s. 48, ch. 97-170; s. 39, ch. 98-280; s. 24, ch. 98-397.