2006 Minnesota Statutes

518A.40 CHILD CARE SUPPORT.
    Subdivision 1. Child care costs. Unless otherwise agreed to by the parties and approved
by the court, the court must order that work-related or education-related child care costs of
joint children be divided between the obligor and obligee based on their proportionate share of
the parties' combined monthly PICS. Child care costs shall be adjusted by the amount of the
estimated federal and state child care credit payable on behalf of a joint child. The Department of
Human Services shall develop tables to calculate the applicable credit based upon the custodial
parent's PICS.
    Subd. 2. Low-income obligor. (a) If the obligor's PICS meets the income eligibility
requirements for child care assistance under the basic sliding fee program under chapter 119B, the
court must order the obligor to pay the lesser of the following amounts:
    (1) the amount of the obligor's monthly co-payment for child care assistance under the basic
sliding fee schedule established by the commissioner of education under chapter 119B, based
on an obligor's monthly PICS and the size of the obligor's household provided that the obligee
is actually receiving child care assistance under the basic sliding fee program. For purposes of
this subdivision, the obligor's household includes the obligor and the number of joint children
for whom child support is being ordered; or
    (2) the amount of the obligor's child care obligation under subdivision 1.
    (b) The commissioner of human services must publish a table with the child care assistance
basic sliding fee amounts and update the table for changes to the basic sliding fee schedule by
July 1 of each year.
    Subd. 3. Determining costs. (a) The court must require verification of employment or
school attendance and documentation of child care expenses from the obligee and the public
authority, if applicable.
    (b) If child care expenses fluctuate during the year because of the obligee's seasonal
employment or school attendance or extended periods of parenting time with the obligor, the court
must determine child care expenses based on an average monthly cost.
    (c) The amount allocated for child care expenses is considered child support but is not
subject to a cost-of-living adjustment under section 518A.515.
    (d) The court may allow the parent with whom the joint child does not reside to care for
the joint child while the parent with whom the joint child resides is working or attending school,
as provided in section 518.175, subdivision 8. Allowing the parent with whom the joint child
does not reside to care for the joint child under section 518.175, subdivision 8, is not a reason to
deviate from the guidelines.
    Subd. 4. Change in child care. (a) When a court order provides for child care expenses
and the public authority provides child support enforcement services, the public authority must
suspend collecting the amount allocated for child care expenses when:
    (1) either party informs the public authority that no child care costs are being incurred; and
    (2) the public authority verifies the accuracy of the information with the other party.
The public authority will resume collecting child care expenses when either party provides
information that child care costs have resumed.
    (b) If the parties provide conflicting information to the public authority regarding whether
child care expenses are being incurred, the public authority will continue or resume collecting
child care expenses. Either party, by motion to the court, may challenge the suspension or
resumption of the collection of child care expenses. If the public authority suspends collection
activities for the amount allocated for child care expenses, all other provisions of the court order
remain in effect.
    (c) In cases where there is a substantial increase or decrease in child care expenses, the
parties may modify the order under section 518A.39.
History: 2005 c 164 s 23,29; 1Sp2005 c 7 s 28; 2006 c 280 s 38,39