Chapter 206
S.P. 328 - L.D. 1011
An Act To Enhance Child Support Collections in Maine
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas, it has long been the policy in the State that parents should take financial responsibility for their children; and
Whereas, a single parent has a difficult time raising a child when the other parent does not provide for the child, causing unnecessary hardship for the single parent and the child; and
Whereas, this hardship is currently being experienced by many single parents who cannot effectively collect child support from the other parent; and
Whereas, while the State invests significant resources into collecting child support, there still are needy and suffering children this winter due to the lack of enforcement of child support in the State; and
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore,
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 19-A MRSA §2101, sub-§1, as amended by PL 1997, c. 537, §26 and affected by §62, is further amended to read:
1. Board.
"Board" means a bureau, board or commission listed in Title 10, section 8001 or 8001-A, other licensor that is affiliated with or is a part of the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation, the Board of Overseers of the Bar or any other state agency or municipality that issues a license authorizing a person to engage in a business, occupation, profession or industry and any state agency, bureau, board, commission or municipality that issues a license or permit to hunt, fish, operate a boat , operate a snowmobile, operate an ATV or engage in any other sporting or recreational activity.
Sec. 2. 19-A MRSA §2101, sub-§7, as amended by PL 1997, c. 537, §26 and affected by §62, is further amended to read:
7. License.
"License" means a license, certification, registration, permit, approval or other similar document evidencing admission to or granting authority to engage in a profession, occupation, business or industry, and a license or permit to hunt, fish, operate a boat , operate a snowmobile, operate an ATV or engage in any other sporting or recreational activity, but does not mean a registration, permit, approval or similar document evidencing the granting of authority to engage in the business of banking pursuant to Title 9-B.
Sec. 3. 19-A MRSA §2201, sub-§12-A is enacted to read:
12-A. Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife report.
The Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife shall provide annually to the department on magnetic tape or other machine-readable form, according to standards established by the department, watercraft, snowmobile and ATV registration information concerning obligors who are residents of this State. The information to be provided must include all of the following information about the registrant: A. Name;
B. Address of record;
C. Make, model and identification number for each watercraft registered under Title 12, section 13052; each snowmobile registered under Title 12, section 13104; and each ATV registered under Title 12, section 13155;
D. Type of registration;
E. Effective date of registration or registration renewal; and
F. Expiration of registration.
Sec. 4. 19-A MRSA §2201, sub-§13, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 and affected by Pt. E, §2, is amended to read:
13. Effect of noncompliance.
The department, upon receipt of the licensee information referred to in subsection 12 and registration information referred to in subsection 12-A, shall identify and notify each board and the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation, Division of Administrative Services, of the names of its their licensees and registrants who are support obligors subject to this section. The notice must include the social security number and address of the support obligor, the name, address and telephone number of the department's designee for implementing this section and a certification by the department that it has verified that the licensee or registrant is a support obligor subject to this section. When the department notifies a board under this subsection, the department shall provide adequate notice of its action to the obligor. The notice must inform the obligor of the right to request a hearing on the issue of whether the obligor is in compliance with an order of support. The board may not issue or renew a license or registration to a person whose name is on the most recent list from the department until the board receives a copy of the written confirmation of compliance specified in subsection 8.
Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation takes effect when approved.
Effective June 4, 2007.