98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2013 and 2014
HB4443

 

Introduced , by Rep. Kelly Burke

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
750 ILCS 5/505  from Ch. 40, par. 505

    Amends the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the setting of child support.


LRB098 19317 HEP 54469 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB4443LRB098 19317 HEP 54469 b

1    AN ACT concerning civil law.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of
5Marriage Act is amended by changing Section 505 as follows:
 
6    (750 ILCS 5/505)  (from Ch. 40, par. 505)
7    Sec. 505. Child support; contempt; penalties.
8    (a) In a proceeding for dissolution of marriage, legal
9separation, declaration of invalidity of marriage, a
10proceeding for child support following dissolution of the the
11marriage by a court that lacked personal jurisdiction over the
12absent spouse, a proceeding for modification of a previous
13order for child support under Section 510 of this Act, or any
14proceeding authorized under Section 501 or 601 of this Act, the
15court may order either or both parents owing a duty of support
16to a child of the marriage to pay an amount reasonable and
17necessary for the support of the child, without regard to
18marital misconduct. The duty of support owed to a child
19includes the obligation to provide for the reasonable and
20necessary educational, physical, mental and emotional health
21needs of the child. For purposes of this Section, the term
22"child" shall include any child under age 18 and any child
23under age 19 who is still attending high school.

 

 

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1        (1) The Court shall determine the minimum amount of
2    support by using the following guidelines:
3Number of ChildrenPercent of Supporting Party's
4Net Income
5120%
6228%
7332%
8440%
9545%
106 or more50%
11        (2) The above guidelines shall be applied in each case
12    unless the court finds that a deviation from the guidelines
13    is appropriate after considering the best interest of the
14    child in light of the evidence, including, but not limited
15    to, one or more of the following relevant factors:
16            (a) the financial resources and needs of the child;
17            (b) the financial resources and needs of the
18        custodial parent;
19            (c) the standard of living the child would have
20        enjoyed had the marriage not been dissolved;
21            (d) the physical, mental, and emotional needs of
22        the child;
23            (d-5) the educational needs of the child; and
24            (e) the financial resources and needs of the
25        non-custodial parent.
26        If the court deviates from the guidelines, the court's

 

 

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1    finding shall state the amount of support that would have
2    been required under the guidelines, if determinable. The
3    court shall include the reason or reasons for the variance
4    from the guidelines.
5        (2.5) The court, in its discretion, in addition to
6    setting child support pursuant to the guidelines and
7    factors, may order either or both parents owing a duty of
8    support to a child of the marriage to contribute to the
9    following expenses, if determined by the court to be
10    reasonable:
11            (a) health needs not covered by insurance;
12            (b) child care;
13            (c) education; and
14            (d) extracurricular activities.
15        (3) "Net income" is defined as the total of all income
16    from all sources, minus the following deductions:
17            (a) Federal income tax (properly calculated
18        withholding or estimated payments);
19            (b) State income tax (properly calculated
20        withholding or estimated payments);
21            (c) Social Security (FICA payments);
22            (d) Mandatory retirement contributions required by
23        law or as a condition of employment;
24            (e) Union dues;
25            (f) Dependent and individual
26        health/hospitalization insurance premiums and premiums

 

 

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1        for life insurance ordered by the court to reasonably
2        secure payment of ordered child support;
3            (g) Prior obligations of support or maintenance
4        actually paid pursuant to a court order;
5            (h) Expenditures for repayment of debts that
6        represent reasonable and necessary expenses for the
7        production of income, medical expenditures necessary
8        to preserve life or health, reasonable expenditures
9        for the benefit of the child and the other parent,
10        exclusive of gifts. The court shall reduce net income
11        in determining the minimum amount of support to be
12        ordered only for the period that such payments are due
13        and shall enter an order containing provisions for its
14        self-executing modification upon termination of such
15        payment period;
16            (i) Foster care payments paid by the Department of
17        Children and Family Services for providing licensed
18        foster care to a foster child.
19        (4) In cases where the court order provides for
20    health/hospitalization insurance coverage pursuant to
21    Section 505.2 of this Act, the premiums for that insurance,
22    or that portion of the premiums for which the supporting
23    party is responsible in the case of insurance provided
24    through an employer's health insurance plan where the
25    employer pays a portion of the premiums, shall be
26    subtracted from net income in determining the minimum

 

 

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1    amount of support to be ordered.
2        (4.5) In a proceeding for child support following
3    dissolution of the marriage by a court that lacked personal
4    jurisdiction over the absent spouse, and in which the court
5    is requiring payment of support for the period before the
6    date an order for current support is entered, there is a
7    rebuttable presumption that the supporting party's net
8    income for the prior period was the same as his or her net
9    income at the time the order for current support is
10    entered.
11        (5) If the net income cannot be determined because of
12    default or any other reason, the court shall order support
13    in an amount considered reasonable in the particular case.
14    The final order in all cases shall state the support level
15    in dollar amounts. However, if the court finds that the
16    child support amount cannot be expressed exclusively as a
17    dollar amount because all or a portion of the payor's net
18    income is uncertain as to source, time of payment, or
19    amount, the court may order a percentage amount of support
20    in addition to a specific dollar amount and enter such
21    other orders as may be necessary to determine and enforce,
22    on a timely basis, the applicable support ordered.
23        (6) If (i) the non-custodial parent was properly served
24    with a request for discovery of financial information
25    relating to the non-custodial parent's ability to provide
26    child support, (ii) the non-custodial parent failed to

 

 

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1    comply with the request, despite having been ordered to do
2    so by the court, and (iii) the non-custodial parent is not
3    present at the hearing to determine support despite having
4    received proper notice, then any relevant financial
5    information concerning the non-custodial parent's ability
6    to provide child support that was obtained pursuant to
7    subpoena and proper notice shall be admitted into evidence
8    without the need to establish any further foundation for
9    its admission.
10    (a-5) In an action to enforce an order for support based on
11the respondent's failure to make support payments as required
12by the order, notice of proceedings to hold the respondent in
13contempt for that failure may be served on the respondent by
14personal service or by regular mail addressed to the
15respondent's last known address. The respondent's last known
16address may be determined from records of the clerk of the
17court, from the Federal Case Registry of Child Support Orders,
18or by any other reasonable means.
19    (b) Failure of either parent to comply with an order to pay
20support shall be punishable as in other cases of contempt. In
21addition to other penalties provided by law the Court may,
22after finding the parent guilty of contempt, order that the
23parent be:
24        (1) placed on probation with such conditions of
25    probation as the Court deems advisable;
26        (2) sentenced to periodic imprisonment for a period not

 

 

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1    to exceed 6 months; provided, however, that the Court may
2    permit the parent to be released for periods of time during
3    the day or night to:
4            (A) work; or
5            (B) conduct a business or other self-employed
6        occupation.
7    The Court may further order any part or all of the earnings
8of a parent during a sentence of periodic imprisonment paid to
9the Clerk of the Circuit Court or to the parent having custody
10or to the guardian having custody of the children of the
11sentenced parent for the support of said children until further
12order of the Court.
13    If a parent who is found guilty of contempt for failure to
14comply with an order to pay support is a person who conducts a
15business or who is self-employed, the court in addition to
16other penalties provided by law may order that the parent do
17one or more of the following: (i) provide to the court monthly
18financial statements showing income and expenses from the
19business or the self-employment; (ii) seek employment and
20report periodically to the court with a diary, listing, or
21other memorandum of his or her employment search efforts; or
22(iii) report to the Department of Employment Security for job
23search services to find employment that will be subject to
24withholding for child support.
25    If there is a unity of interest and ownership sufficient to
26render no financial separation between a non-custodial parent

 

 

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1and another person or persons or business entity, the court may
2pierce the ownership veil of the person, persons, or business
3entity to discover assets of the non-custodial parent held in
4the name of that person, those persons, or that business
5entity. The following circumstances are sufficient to
6authorize a court to order discovery of the assets of a person,
7persons, or business entity and to compel the application of
8any discovered assets toward payment on the judgment for
9support:
10        (1) the non-custodial parent and the person, persons,
11    or business entity maintain records together.
12        (2) the non-custodial parent and the person, persons,
13    or business entity fail to maintain an arm's length
14    relationship between themselves with regard to any assets.
15        (3) the non-custodial parent transfers assets to the
16    person, persons, or business entity with the intent to
17    perpetrate a fraud on the custodial parent.
18    With respect to assets which are real property, no order
19entered under this paragraph shall affect the rights of bona
20fide purchasers, mortgagees, judgment creditors, or other lien
21holders who acquire their interests in the property prior to
22the time a notice of lis pendens pursuant to the Code of Civil
23Procedure or a copy of the order is placed of record in the
24office of the recorder of deeds for the county in which the
25real property is located.
26    The court may also order in cases where the parent is 90

 

 

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1days or more delinquent in payment of support or has been
2adjudicated in arrears in an amount equal to 90 days obligation
3or more, that the parent's Illinois driving privileges be
4suspended until the court determines that the parent is in
5compliance with the order of support. The court may also order
6that the parent be issued a family financial responsibility
7driving permit that would allow limited driving privileges for
8employment and medical purposes in accordance with Section
97-702.1 of the Illinois Vehicle Code. The clerk of the circuit
10court shall certify the order suspending the driving privileges
11of the parent or granting the issuance of a family financial
12responsibility driving permit to the Secretary of State on
13forms prescribed by the Secretary. Upon receipt of the
14authenticated documents, the Secretary of State shall suspend
15the parent's driving privileges until further order of the
16court and shall, if ordered by the court, subject to the
17provisions of Section 7-702.1 of the Illinois Vehicle Code,
18issue a family financial responsibility driving permit to the
19parent.
20    In addition to the penalties or punishment that may be
21imposed under this Section, any person whose conduct
22constitutes a violation of Section 15 of the Non-Support
23Punishment Act may be prosecuted under that Act, and a person
24convicted under that Act may be sentenced in accordance with
25that Act. The sentence may include but need not be limited to a
26requirement that the person perform community service under

 

 

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1Section 50 of that Act or participate in a work alternative
2program under Section 50 of that Act. A person may not be
3required to participate in a work alternative program under
4Section 50 of that Act if the person is currently participating
5in a work program pursuant to Section 505.1 of this Act.
6    A support obligation, or any portion of a support
7obligation, which becomes due and remains unpaid as of the end
8of each month, excluding the child support that was due for
9that month to the extent that it was not paid in that month,
10shall accrue simple interest as set forth in Section 12-109 of
11the Code of Civil Procedure. An order for support entered or
12modified on or after January 1, 2006 shall contain a statement
13that a support obligation required under the order, or any
14portion of a support obligation required under the order, that
15becomes due and remains unpaid as of the end of each month,
16excluding the child support that was due for that month to the
17extent that it was not paid in that month, shall accrue simple
18interest as set forth in Section 12-109 of the Code of Civil
19Procedure. Failure to include the statement in the order for
20support does not affect the validity of the order or the
21accrual of interest as provided in this Section.
22    (c) A one-time charge of 20% is imposable upon the amount
23of past-due child support owed on July 1, 1988 which has
24accrued under a support order entered by the court. The charge
25shall be imposed in accordance with the provisions of Section
2610-21 of the Illinois Public Aid Code and shall be enforced by

 

 

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1the court upon petition.
2    (d) Any new or existing support order entered by the court
3under this Section shall be deemed to be a series of judgments
4against the person obligated to pay support thereunder, each
5such judgment to be in the amount of each payment or
6installment of support and each such judgment to be deemed
7entered as of the date the corresponding payment or installment
8becomes due under the terms of the support order. Each such
9judgment shall have the full force, effect and attributes of
10any other judgment of this State, including the ability to be
11enforced. Notwithstanding any other State or local law to the
12contrary, a lien arises by operation of law against the real
13and personal property of the noncustodial parent for each
14installment of overdue support owed by the noncustodial parent.
15    (e) When child support is to be paid through the clerk of
16the court in a county of 1,000,000 inhabitants or less, the
17order shall direct the obligor to pay to the clerk, in addition
18to the child support payments, all fees imposed by the county
19board under paragraph (3) of subsection (u) of Section 27.1 of
20the Clerks of Courts Act. Unless paid in cash or pursuant to an
21order for withholding, the payment of the fee shall be by a
22separate instrument from the support payment and shall be made
23to the order of the Clerk.
24    (f) All orders for support, when entered or modified, shall
25include a provision requiring the obligor to notify the court
26and, in cases in which a party is receiving child and spouse

 

 

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1services under Article X of the Illinois Public Aid Code, the
2Department of Healthcare and Family Services, within 7 days,
3(i) of the name and address of any new employer of the obligor,
4(ii) whether the obligor has access to health insurance
5coverage through the employer or other group coverage and, if
6so, the policy name and number and the names of persons covered
7under the policy, and (iii) of any new residential or mailing
8address or telephone number of the non-custodial parent. In any
9subsequent action to enforce a support order, upon a sufficient
10showing that a diligent effort has been made to ascertain the
11location of the non-custodial parent, service of process or
12provision of notice necessary in the case may be made at the
13last known address of the non-custodial parent in any manner
14expressly provided by the Code of Civil Procedure or this Act,
15which service shall be sufficient for purposes of due process.
16    (g) An order for support shall include a date on which the
17current support obligation terminates. The termination date
18shall be no earlier than the date on which the child covered by
19the order will attain the age of 18. However, if the child will
20not graduate from high school until after attaining the age of
2118, then the termination date shall be no earlier than the
22earlier of the date on which the child's high school graduation
23will occur or the date on which the child will attain the age
24of 19. The order for support shall state that the termination
25date does not apply to any arrearage that may remain unpaid on
26that date. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to

 

 

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1prevent the court from modifying the order or terminating the
2order in the event the child is otherwise emancipated.
3    (g-5) If there is an unpaid arrearage or delinquency (as
4those terms are defined in the Income Withholding for Support
5Act) equal to at least one month's support obligation on the
6termination date stated in the order for support or, if there
7is no termination date stated in the order, on the date the
8child attains the age of majority or is otherwise emancipated,
9the periodic amount required to be paid for current support of
10that child immediately prior to that date shall automatically
11continue to be an obligation, not as current support but as
12periodic payment toward satisfaction of the unpaid arrearage or
13delinquency. That periodic payment shall be in addition to any
14periodic payment previously required for satisfaction of the
15arrearage or delinquency. The total periodic amount to be paid
16toward satisfaction of the arrearage or delinquency may be
17enforced and collected by any method provided by law for
18enforcement and collection of child support, including but not
19limited to income withholding under the Income Withholding for
20Support Act. Each order for support entered or modified on or
21after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 93rd
22General Assembly must contain a statement notifying the parties
23of the requirements of this subsection. Failure to include the
24statement in the order for support does not affect the validity
25of the order or the operation of the provisions of this
26subsection with regard to the order. This subsection shall not

 

 

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1be construed to prevent or affect the establishment or
2modification of an order for support of a minor child or the
3establishment or modification of an order for support of a
4non-minor child or educational expenses under Section 513 of
5this Act.
6    (h) An order entered under this Section shall include a
7provision requiring the obligor to report to the obligee and to
8the clerk of court within 10 days each time the obligor obtains
9new employment, and each time the obligor's employment is
10terminated for any reason. The report shall be in writing and
11shall, in the case of new employment, include the name and
12address of the new employer. Failure to report new employment
13or the termination of current employment, if coupled with
14nonpayment of support for a period in excess of 60 days, is
15indirect criminal contempt. For any obligor arrested for
16failure to report new employment bond shall be set in the
17amount of the child support that should have been paid during
18the period of unreported employment. An order entered under
19this Section shall also include a provision requiring the
20obligor and obligee parents to advise each other of a change in
21residence within 5 days of the change except when the court
22finds that the physical, mental, or emotional health of a party
23or that of a child, or both, would be seriously endangered by
24disclosure of the party's address.
25    (i) The court does not lose the powers of contempt,
26driver's license suspension, or other child support

 

 

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1enforcement mechanisms, including, but not limited to,
2criminal prosecution as set forth in this Act, upon the
3emancipation of the minor child or children.
4(Source: P.A. 97-186, eff. 7-22-11; 97-608, eff. 1-1-12;
597-813, eff. 7-13-12; 97-878, eff. 8-2-12; 97-941, eff. 1-1-13;
697-1029, eff. 1-1-13; 98-463, eff. 8-16-13.)