HB 472 -- Interstate Family Support Act

Sponsor:  Flook

This bill specifies that whenever more than one state is involved
in the establishing, enforcing, or modifying of a child or
spousal support order, the provisions of the bill will be
implemented to determine the jurisdiction and power of the courts
in the different states and which state's law will be applied in
the proceedings.

Guidelines are established requiring every state to defer to
child support orders entered by the court of the child's home
state.  The place where the order was originally entered holds
continuing exclusive jurisdiction, and only the law of that state
can be applied to requests to modify the order of child support
unless the original court loses jurisdiction.

The bill also establishes several direct interstate enforcement
mechanisms to allow a caretaker parent to have an order mailed to
the employer of the obligated parent, require an employer to
withhold pay for the benefit of the child, and allow the
caretaker parent to have an order mailed to an out-of-state court
for enforcement by the other state.

Missouri House of Representatives
94th General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated July 25, 2007 at 11:19 am