ROBERT L. EHRLICH, JR., Governor

Ch. 118

CHAPTER 118
(House Bill 107)

AN ACT concerning

Child Support Enforcement - Earnings Withholding

FOR the purpose of requiring that, when a court orders immediate service of an
earnings withholding order, the court order payments through the State
disbursement unit; requiring an employer to provide an obligor with a copy of an
earnings withholding notice within a certain period after the employer has been
served with the notice; repealing the requirement that the Child Support
Enforcement Administration send to the obligor certain documents by certified
mail under certain circumstances; authorizing a parent or support enforcement
agency to use means other than certified mail, as approved by the
Administration, to send to the parent's employer a copy of an order to provide
health insurance coverage; making certain conforming changes; making this Act
an emergency measure; and generally relating to child support enforcement.

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

Section 10-123, 10-124, and 12-102(d)(1) 10-128(a), and 10-129(a)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(1999 Replacement Volume and 2002 Supplement)

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

Article - Family Law

10-123.

(a)     Except as otherwise provided for in this section and notwithstanding any
other provision of this Part III, a court shall immediately authorize service of an
earnings withholding order when:

(1)     (i) a support order or modification of support order is passed on or
after April 9, 1991;

(ii) a case is being enforced by a support enforcement agency; and

(iii) the recipient or support enforcement agency requests service of
an earnings withholding order; or

(2)     the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene requests service of an
earnings withholding order for court ordered medical support.

(b)     Except as provided in subsection (d) of this section, for all child support
orders that are initially issued in the State on or after January 1, 1994, regardless of

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