25-7A-1. Definition of terms.

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A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

Terms used in this chapter mean:

(1)"Administrative order," a judgment or order of an agency of the executive branch of state government, or an agency of comparable jurisdiction of another state, ordering payment of a set or determinable amount of support money, or ordering withholding of income;

(2)"Arrearage," the total amount of unpaid support obligations;

(3)"Assistance," money payments made by the Department of Social Services which are paid to, or for the benefit of, any dependent child, including payments made so that food, shelter, medical care, clothing, transportation, education, or other necessary goods, services, or items may be provided, and payments made to compensate for the provision of those necessities;

(4)"Court order," a judgment or order of a circuit court of this state or a court of comparable jurisdiction of another state ordering payment of a set or determinable amount of support money;

(4A)"Custodian," a person who has either legal or physical custody, or both, of a dependent child;

(5)"Delinquency," any payment under an order for support which becomes due and remains unpaid;

(6)"Department," the Department of Social Services;

(7)"Dependent child," a needy child under the age of eighteen or under the age of nineteen and a full-time student in a secondary school if, before the child attains the age of nineteen, it is determined that the child may reasonably be expected to complete the program at the secondary school, who has been deprived of support or care by a natural parent, an adoptive parent, or a stepparent, by reason of the death, continued absence from the home, or physical or mental incapacity of a parent, or who is a child of an unemployed parent and who is living with a person in a place of residence maintained by such person as his home;

(8)"Income," any form of payment to a person, regardless of source, including wages, salary, commission, bonuses, compensation as an independent contractor, workers' compensation, state reemployment assistance or unemployment compensation, disability, annuity and retirement benefits, gift or inheritance, all gain derived from capital or labor, profit gained through the sale or conversion of capital assets, and any other payments, including personal property, money and credits on deposit with or in the possession of, or made by any person, private entity, federal or state government, any unit of local government, school district or any entity created by public act. However, for the purposes of income withholding, the term excludes:

(a)Any amount required by law or as a condition of employment to be withheld, other than creditor claims, including federal, state, and local taxes, social security, and other retirement contributions;

(b)Any amount exempted by federal law; and

(c)Public assistance payments;

(9)"Need," the necessary costs of food, clothing, shelter, education, and medical care for the support of a dependent child;

(9A)"Noncustodial parent," the parent who does not have primary care, custody, or control of the child, and has an obligation to pay child support;

(10)"Obligee," any person or entity to whom a duty of support is owed;

(11)"Obligor," any person who owes a duty to make payments under an order for support;

(12)"Order for support," a judgment, decree, or order, whether temporary, final, or subject to modification, issued by a court or an administrative agency of competent jurisdiction, which provides for the support and maintenance of a child, including a child who has attained the age of majority under the law of the issuing state, or of the parent with whom the child is living, which provides for monetary support, health care, medical support, arrearages, or reimbursement, and which may include costs and fees, interest, and penalties, income withholding, attorney's fees, and other relief;

(13)"Parent," the natural parent, adoptive parent, or stepparent of a dependent child;

(14)"Payor," any person or other entity owing income or having personal property or money and credits belonging to an obligor;

(15)"Person," a natural person, firm, limited liability company, corporation, association, political subdivision, or agency of government;

(16)"Secretary," the secretary of social services;

(17)Deleted by SL 2013, ch 119, § 5;

(18)"Standard of need," the need established by the Department of Social Services;

(19)"Support enforcement services," establishing and enforcing support obligations, locating support obligors, and establishing paternity under the Title IV-D state plan;

(20)"Title IV-D agency," the agency established by Part D of Title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. §§ 651 to 667) for the purpose of administering the state's plan for establishing and enforcing support obligations, locating support obligors, and establishing paternity;

(21)"Medical support," the provision of a health insurance benefit plan or cash medical support payment, including any employer sponsored group health plan or self-insured plan, any individual health insurance policy, or public health care coverage, to meet the medical needs of a dependent child including the cost of any premium required by a health insurance benefit plan, an amount ordered to be paid toward the cost of health insurance provided by a public entity or by another parent through employment or otherwise, or for other medical costs not covered by insurance;

(22)"Business day," a day on which state offices are open for regular business;

(23)"Employee," any person who is an employee within the meaning of chapter 24 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. § 3401-3406, as of January 1, 1997;

(24)"Employer," any person or entity who is an employer as defined in section 3401(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. § 3401-3406, as of January 1, 1997, and includes any governmental entity and any labor organization;

(25)"Labor organization," the meaning given the term in section 2(5) of the National Labor Relations Act, 29 U.S.C. § 151 et seq., as of January 1, 1997, and includes any entity or hiring hall which is used by the organization and an employer to carry out the requirements described in section 8(f)(3) of the act;

(26)"Date of hire," the date a person first provides services for an employer for pay;

(27)"Newly hired employee" or "new hire," any person hired to provide services for an employer and required to provide an Internal Revenue Service W-4 form to the employer, including a person who is rehired, reemployed, or reinstated following thirty consecutive days of termination or layoff even if the person does not provide a new or revised W-4 form to the employer;

(28)"Recreational or sporting license," any state issued hunting or fishing license.