Purpose

• Clarifies requirements for notifying public authorities in certain family-law cases involving children when public assistance is involved, and sets timelines and duties for reporting and eventual expiration of the Supreme Court Council on Child Protection. It also adds a one-time state funding allocation to establish and administer the Council.

Main Provisions

• Notice to public authority in specific cases

  • In proceedings involving dissolutions with children, legal separations with children, determinations of parentage, or custody of a child, if either party is receiving public assistance or applies for it after the case begins, the petitioner must notify the public authority.
  • The notice must include the full names of the parties, their Social Security numbers, and their birth dates.
  • After notice is received, the court will set child support as provided by Minnesota law and guidelines.

• Child support decisions and stipulations

  • The court may order either or both parents owing a duty of support to pay an amount that is reasonable or necessary for the child’s support, without regard to marital misconduct.
  • If each party has independent counsel and a stipulation is reached, the court shall approve the stipulation if it meets the conditions of the relevant statute.
  • In other cases, the court will determine and order a specific dollar amount for child support using the guidelines and other factors, and may depart from the guidelines as allowed.

• Alternative methods of payment

  • The court may order the obligor to pay child support as a percentage share of net bonuses, commissions, or other compensation, in addition to or instead of a traditional base-pay amount.

• Relationship to existing statutes

  • The provisions reference and rely on existing sections governing child support guidelines (e.g., sections 518A.35 and 518A.43) to determine amounts and departures.

Changes to Law and Administrative Details

• Reports by the Supreme Court Council on Child Protection

  • By July 15, 2025, the Council must submit a progress report about its duties under the related subdivision to the governor, the chief justice, and the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees overseeing child protection.
  • By December 15, 2026 (text shows a drafting inconsistency with a similar date in 2026), the Council must submit its final report detailing the comprehensive blueprint developed under the related subdivision to the same recipients.

• Expiration of the Council

  • The Supreme Court Council on Child Protection expires upon the submission of its final report under the specified subdivision, scheduled for June 30, 2027.

Funding

• One-time appropriation for the Council
  • A one-time appropriation of $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2025 is allocated for the establishment and administration of the Supreme Court Council on Child Protection.
  • The funds are available through June 30, 2027 (the text shows a related, slightly conflicting date in the drafting).

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Adds a mandatory notice to the public authority in certain family-law cases involving children when public assistance is involved, with specific identifying information required in the notice.
• Clarifies the process for determining or stipulating child support in such cases, including potential use of non-traditional payment forms (e.g., percentage of bonuses or commissions).
• Establishes formal reporting requirements and a sunset/expiration timeline for the Supreme Court Council on Child Protection, along with a dedicated one-time funding allocation to support its activities.

Practical Impact and Considerations

• Families involved in dissolution, legal separation, parentage, or custody cases with public assistance may see a formal notice workflow to public authorities and a defined process for calculating or stipulating child support.
• The changes aim to improve oversight and planning for child protection through the Council, with defined reporting milestones and a finite timeline for its work and funding.

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