Bill > HB1159

This bill makes several modifications to Colorado's child support laws, primarily focusing on adjusting guidelines for calculating child support, clarifying reporting requirements, and providing more detailed provisions for various child support scenarios. Here's a comprehensive summary: The bill updates child support calculation methods by introducing a new "self-support reserve" concept (approximately $750 per month), modifying how low-income parents' child support obligations are determined, and creating a more nuanced parenting time credit system. It establishes a detailed table for calculating child support based on adjusted gross income and parenting time, with specific provisions for parents earning less than the self-support reserve. The bill also makes changes to how extraordinary medical expenses are defined and calculated, expands reporting requirements for employers and service providers to the state directory of new hires, and provides more explicit guidelines for courts when determining retroactive child support. Additionally, it clarifies rules around income tax dependency exemptions, including considerations for allocating exemptions between parents and potential consequences for improper claims. Other notable provisions include modifications to how paternity and child support orders can be challenged, expanded definitions for service providers and service recipients, and technical updates to various sections of Colorado's family law statutes. The bill includes an appropriation of approximately $46,665 for implementation and specifies different effective dates for various sections of the legislation.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services

https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb25-1159