Sec. 1. 19-A MRSA §2007, sub-§3, ¶P, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 and affected by Pt. E, §2, is amended to read:

P. An obligor party's substantial financial obligation regarding the costs of transportation of each child for purposes of parent and child contact. To be considered substantial, the transportation costs must exceed 15% of the yearly support obligation; and

Sec. 2. 19-A MRSA §2007, sub-§3, ¶P-1 is enacted to read:

P-1.__Recognition of the contributions that the party providing the child's primary residence has made in improving the financial circumstances of that party and the child; and

SUMMARY

This bill amends the child support guidelines to provide an additional criterion for deviating from the automatic application of the child support guidelines. The court or hearing officer, in establishing or modifying a child support order, must take into account the contributions that the party who provides the child's primary residence is making in improving the financial circumstances of the party and the child.