DOA:......Rice, BB0199 - Child Support Debt Reduction Program
For 2025-2027 Budget -- Not Ready For Introduction
An Act ...; relating to: the budget.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public assistance
Child support debt reduction
The bill creates a program administered by DCF to provide debt reduction for child support. Under the bill, if a noncustodial parent completes an eligible employment program, as determined by DCF by rule, and the custodial parent agrees to a reduction, the noncustodial parent is eligible for child support debt reduction in an amount up to $1,500. Under the bill, a parent may not qualify for the debt reduction more than once in any 12-month period.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. 49.226 of the statutes is created to read:
49.226 Child support debt reduction. (1) The department shall establish a program to provide noncustodial child support debt reduction. A noncustodial parent qualifies to receive up to $1,500 in debt reduction under this section if all of the following apply:
(a) The noncustodial parent completes an eligible employment program, as defined by the department in rules promulgated under sub. (3).
(b) The custodial parent agrees to reducing child support debt owed up to the amount of the benefit paid.
(2) A noncustodial parent may not receive debt reduction under sub. (1) more than once in any 12-month period.
(3) The department shall promulgate rules to implement this section, including rules to determine how debt reduction provided under sub. (1) is apportioned among multiple child support orders.
Section 9106. Nonstatutory provisions; Children and Families.
(1) Child support debt reduction; emergency rule making. The department of children and families may promulgate emergency rules under s. 227.24 to implement s. 49.226. Notwithstanding s. 227.24 (1) (c) and (2), emergency rules promulgated under this subsection remain in effect until July 1, 2027, or the date on which permanent rules take effect, whichever is sooner. Notwithstanding s. 227.24 (1) (a) and (3), the department is not required to provide evidence that promulgating a rule under this subsection as an emergency rule is necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or welfare and is not required to provide a finding of emergency for a rule promulgated under this subsection.
Section 9406. Effective dates; Children and Families.
(1) Child support debt reduction. The treatment of s. 49.226 takes effect on the first day of the 7th month beginning after publication.
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