WILLIAM DONALD SCHAEFER, Governor Ch. 58
Child Support Guidelines

FOR the purpose of requiring, instead of permitting, a court to use the child support
guidelines established under certain provisions of law in certain proceedings;
establishing a rebuttable presumption that the amount of child support which
would result from the application of the guidelines is the correct amount of child
support to be awarded; providing that the presumption may be rebutted by certain
evidence; authorizing the court to consider certain factors in determining whether
the application of the guidelines would be unjust or inappropriate in a particular
case; requiring the court to make certain findings when departing from the
guidelines; requiring the court's finding to include certain information; providing
for review of a child support award upon expiration of a use and possession order
or right to occupy the family home under a separation or property settlement
agreement; requiring the Child Support Enforcement Administration of the
Department of Human Resources to periodically review the guidelines for a
certain purpose and to make a certain report to the General Assembly; requiring
the Secretary of Human Resources to adopt certain regulations; repealing certain
inconsistent provisions; making this Act an emergency measure; and generally
relating to determining the amount of a child support award.

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article - Family Law

Section 10-114, 12-202, and 12-204(a)(l) and (j)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(1984 Volume and 1989 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article - Family Law

10-114.

The Secretary of Human Resources shall:

(1) adopt rules and regulations for the collection of support;

(2) adopt standards for staffing, recordkeeping, reporting,
intergovernmental cooperation, and other management operations that are necessary to
assure proper and efficient collection of support; [and]

(3) delegate any responsibility for support enforcement to a local
department of social services, for as long as:

(i) the local government asks that responsibility be delegated to the
local department;

(ii) the Secretary finds that the local department is capable of
carrying out the responsibility; and

(iii) a delegation of that responsibility is consistent with guidelines of
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