CHAPTER 252B
CHILD SUPPORT SERVICES

Referred to in §252C.2, 252D.8, 252D.18, 252E.2A, 252E.3, 252E.6, 252E.9, 252E.10, 252E.12, 252E.15, 252F.2, 252F.3, 252G.5, 252H.4, 252H.5, 252H.12, 252H.13, 252H.18, 252H.21, 252H.22, 252I.5, 252J.2, 421.17, 505.25, 598.21B, 598.21C, 598.21G, 598.23A, 598.34, 600B.41A, 642.2

  
     
252B.1  Definitions.
  As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:
  1.  “Absent parent” means the parent who either cannot be located or who is located and is not residing with the child at the time the support collection or paternity determination services provided in sections 252B.5 and 252B.6 are requested or commenced.
  2.  “Child” includes but shall not be limited to a stepchild, foster child, or legally adopted child and means a child actually or apparently under eighteen years of age or a dependent person eighteen years of age or over who is unable to maintain the person’s self and is likely to become a public charge. “Child” includes “child” as defined in section 239B.1.
  3.  “Child support agency” means child support agency as defined in section 252H.2.
  4.  “Child support services” means child support services created in section 252B.2.
  5.  “Department” means the department of health and human services.
  6.  “Director” means the director of health and human services.
  7.  “Obligor” means the person legally responsible for the support of a child as defined in section 252D.16 or 598.1 under a support order issued in this state or pursuant to the laws of another state or foreign country.
  8.  “Resident parent” means the parent with whom the child is residing at the time the support collection or paternity determination services provided in sections 252B.5 and 252B.6 are requested or commenced.
[C77, 79, 81, §252B.1]
83 Acts, ch 96, §157, 159; 91 Acts, ch 97, §33; 92 Acts, ch 1195, §502; 93 Acts, ch 79, §25; 97 Acts, ch 41, §32; 97 Acts, ch 175, §23, 24; 98 Acts, ch 1100, §31; 2015 Acts, ch 110, §82; 2021 Acts, ch 80, §133; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §843
Referred to in §252H.2

  
     
252B.2  Child support services established — intervention.
  There is created within the department child support services for the purpose of providing the services required in sections 252B.3 through 252B.6. Child support services is not required to intervene in actions to provide such services.
[C77, 79, 81, §252B.2]
83 Acts, ch 96, §157, 159; 97 Acts, ch 175, §25; 2020 Acts, ch 1063, §97; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §844
Referred to in §96.3, 252A.3A, 252B.1, 252C.1, 252D.16, 252E.1, 252F.1, 252G.1, 252H.2, 252I.1, 252J.1, 252K.103, 598.23A, 600B.41A

  
     
252B.3  Duty of department to enforce child support — cooperation — rules.
  1.  Upon receipt by the department of an application for public assistance on behalf of a child and determination by the department that the child is eligible for public assistance and that provision of child support services is appropriate, the department shall take appropriate action under the provisions of this chapter or under other appropriate statutes of this state including but not limited to chapters 239B, 252A, 252C, 252D, 252E, 252F, 252G, 252H, 252I, 252J, 598, and 600B, to ensure that the parent or other person responsible for the support of the child fulfills the support obligation. The department shall also take appropriate action as required by federal law upon receiving a request from a child support agency for a child receiving public assistance in another state.
  2.  The department may negotiate a partial payment of a support obligation with a parent or other person responsible for the support of the child, provided that the negotiation and partial payment are consistent with applicable federal law and regulation.
  3.  The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A regarding cases in which, under federal law, it is a condition of eligibility for an individual who is an applicant for or recipient of public assistance to cooperate in good faith with the department in establishing the paternity of, or in establishing, modifying, or enforcing a support order by identifying and locating the parent of the child or enforcing rights to support payments. The rules shall include all of the following provisions:
  a.  As required by child support services, the individual shall provide the name of the noncustodial parent and additional necessary information, and shall appear at interviews, hearings, and legal proceedings.
  b.  If paternity is an issue, the individual and child shall submit to blood or genetic tests pursuant to a judicial or administrative order.
  c.  The individual may be requested to sign a voluntary affidavit of paternity, after notice of the rights and consequences of such an acknowledgment, but shall not be required to sign an affidavit or otherwise relinquish the right to blood or genetic tests.
  d.  Child support services shall promptly notify the individual and the department’s public assistance programs of each determination by child support services of noncooperation of the individual and the reason for such determination.
  e.  A procedure under which the individual may claim that, and the department shall determine whether, the individual has sufficient good cause or other exception for not cooperating, taking into consideration the best interest of the child.
  4.  Without need for a court order and notwithstanding the requirements of section 598.22A, the support payment ordered pursuant to any chapter shall be satisfied as to the department, the child, and either parent for the period during which the parents are reconciled and are cohabiting, the child for whom support is ordered is living in the same residence as the parents, and the obligor receives public assistance on the obligor’s own behalf for the benefit of the child. The department shall implement this subsection as follows:
  a.  Child support services shall file a notice of satisfaction with the clerk of court.
  b.  This subsection shall not apply unless all the children for whom support is ordered reside with both parents, except that a child may be absent from the home due to a foster care placement pursuant to chapter 234 or a comparable law of another state or foreign country.
  c.  Child support services shall send notice by regular mail to the obligor when the provisions of this subsection no longer apply. A copy of the notice shall be filed with the clerk of court.
  d.  This section shall not limit the rights of the parents or the department to proceed by other means to suspend, terminate, modify, reinstate, or establish support.
  5.  On or after July 1, 1999, the department shall implement a program for the satisfaction of accrued support debts, based upon timely payment by the obligor of both current support due and any payments due for accrued support debt under a periodic payment plan. Child support services shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to establish the criteria and procedures for obtaining satisfaction under the program. The rules adopted under this subsection shall specify the cases and amounts to which the program is applicable, and may provide for the establishment of the program as a pilot program.
[C77, 79, 81, §252B.3; 82 Acts, ch 1237, §3]
83 Acts, ch 96, §157, 159; 93 Acts, ch 79, §36; 97 Acts, ch 41, §32; 97 Acts, ch 175, §26; 98 Acts, ch 1170, §41; 2015 Acts, ch 110, §83; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §845
Referred to in §252B.2, 252B.6A, 252B.9, 598.22A

  
     
252B.4  Nonassistance cases.
  1.  The child support and paternity determination services established by the department pursuant to this chapter and other appropriate services provided by law including but not limited to the provisions of chapters 239B, 252A, 252C, 252D, 252E, 252F, 598, and 600B shall be made available by child support services to an individual not otherwise eligible as a public assistance recipient upon application by the individual for the services or upon referral as described in subsection 4. The application shall be filed with the department.
  2.  The director may collect a fee to cover the costs incurred by the department for service of process, genetic testing, and court costs if the entity providing the service charges a fee for the services.
  3.  Fees collected pursuant to this section shall be considered appropriated receipts, as defined in section 8.2, and shall be used for the purposes of child support services. The director or a designee shall keep an accurate record of the fees collected and expended.
  4.  Child support services shall also provide child support and paternity determination services and shall respond as provided in federal law for an individual not otherwise eligible as a public assistance recipient if child support services receives a request from any of the following:
  a.  A child support agency.
  b.  A foreign country as defined in chapter 252K.
[C77, 79, 81, §252B.4]
83 Acts, ch 153, §16; 92 Acts, ch 1195, §101, 102; 93 Acts, ch 78, §6, 7; 93 Acts, ch 79, §37; 96 Acts, ch 1213, §39; 97 Acts, ch 41, §32; 97 Acts, ch 175, §27 – 29
; 2002 Acts, 2nd Ex, ch 1003, §143, 151
; 2005 Acts, ch 175, §118; 2014 Acts, ch 1026, §55; 2015 Acts, ch 110, §84; 2019 Acts, ch 112, §1; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §846; 2024 Acts, ch 1185, §159
Referred to in §252B.2, 252H.5

  
     
252B.5  Child support services.
  Child support services shall provide the following services:
  1.  Assistance in the location of an absent parent or any other person who has an obligation to support the child of the resident parent.
  2.  Aid in establishing paternity and securing a court or administrative order for support pursuant to chapter 252A, 252C, 252F, or 600B, or any other chapter providing for the establishment of paternity or support. In an action to establish support, the resident parent may be a proper party defendant for purposes of determining medical support as provided in section 252E.1A upon service of notice as provided in this chapter and without a court order as provided in the rules of civil procedure. Child support services’ independent cause of action shall not bar a party from seeking support in a subsequent proceeding.
  3.  Aid in enforcing through court or administrative proceedings an existing court order for support issued pursuant to chapter 252A, 252C, 252F, 598, or 600B, or any other chapter under which child or medical support is granted. The director may enter into a contract with a private collection agency to collect support payments for cases which have been identified by the department as difficult collection cases if the department determines that this form of collection is more cost-effective than departmental collection methods. The department shall utilize, to the maximum extent possible, every available automated process to collect support payments prior to referral of a case to a private collection agency. A private collection agency with whom the department enters a contract under this subsection shall comply with state and federal confidentiality requirements and debt collection laws. The director may use a portion of the state share of funds collected through this means to pay the costs of any contract authorized under this subsection.
  4.  Assistance to set off against a debtor’s income tax refund or rebate any support debt, which is assigned to the department or which child support services is attempting to collect on behalf of any individual not eligible as a public assistance recipient, which has accrued through written contract, subrogation, or court judgment, and which is in the form of a liquidated sum due and owing for the care, support, or maintenance of a child. Unless the periodic payment plan provisions for a retroactive modification pursuant to section 598.21C apply, the entire amount of a judgment for accrued support, notwithstanding compliance with a periodic payment plan or regardless of the date of entry of the judgment, is due and owing as of the date of entry of the judgment and is delinquent for the purposes of setoff, including for setoff against a debtor’s federal income tax refund or other federal nontax payment. The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A necessary to assist the department of revenue in the implementation of the child support setoff as established under section 421.65.
  5.  a.  In order to maximize the amount of any tax refund to which an obligor may be entitled and which may be applied to child support and medical support obligations, cooperate with any volunteer or free income tax assistance programs in the state in informing obligors of the availability of the programs.
  b.  Child support services shall publicize the services of the volunteer or free income tax assistance programs by distributing printed materials regarding the programs.
  6.  Determine periodically whether an individual receiving unemployment compensation benefits under chapter 96 owes a support obligation which is being enforced by child support services, and enforce the support obligation through court or administrative proceedings to have specified amounts withheld from the individual’s unemployment compensation benefits.
  7.  Assistance in obtaining medical support as defined in chapter 252E.
  8.  a.  At the request of either parent who is subject to the order of support or upon its own initiation, review the amount of the support award in accordance with the guidelines established pursuant to section 598.21B, and Tit. IV-D of the federal Social Security Act, as amended, and take action to initiate modification proceedings if the criteria established pursuant to this section are met. However, a review of a support award is not required if child support services determines that such a review would not be in the best interest of the child and neither parent has requested such review.
  b.  The department shall adopt rules setting forth the process for review of requests for modification of support obligations and the criteria and process for taking action to initiate modification proceedings.
  9.  a.  Assistance, in consultation with the department of administrative services, in identifying and taking action against self-employed individuals as identified by the following conditions:
  (1)  The individual owes support pursuant to a court or administrative order being enforced by child support services and is delinquent in an amount equal to or greater than the support obligation amount assessed for one month.
  (2)  The individual has filed a state income tax return in the preceding twelve months.
  (3)  The individual has no reported tax withholding amount on the most recent state income tax return.
  (4)  The individual has failed to enter into or comply with a formalized repayment plan with child support services.
  (5)  The individual has failed to make either all current support payments in accordance with the court or administrative order or to make payments against any delinquency in each of the preceding twelve months.
  b.  Child support services may forward information to the department of administrative services as necessary to implement this subsection, including but not limited to both of the following:
  (1)  The name and social security number of the individual.
  (2)  Support obligation information in the specific case, including the amount of the delinquency.
  10.  The review and adjustment, modification, or alteration of a support order pursuant to chapter 252H upon adoption of rules pursuant to chapter 17A and periodic notification, at a minimum of once every three years, to parents subject to a support order of their rights to these services.
  11.  Child support services shall not establish orders for spousal support. Child support services shall enforce orders for spousal support only if the spouse is the custodial parent of a child for whom child support services is also enforcing a child support or medical support order.
  12.  a.  In compliance with federal procedures, periodically certify to the secretary of the United States department of health and human services, a list of the names of obligors determined by child support services to owe delinquent support, under a support order as defined in section 252J.1, in excess of two thousand five hundred dollars. The certification of the delinquent amount owed may be based upon one or more support orders being enforced by child support services if the delinquent support owed exceeds two thousand five hundred dollars. The certification shall include any amounts which are delinquent pursuant to the periodic payment plan when a modified order has been retroactively applied. The certification shall be in a format and shall include any supporting documentation required by the secretary.
  b.  All of the following shall apply to an action initiated by child support services under this subsection:
  (1)  The obligor shall be sent a notice by regular mail in accordance with federal law and regulations and the notice shall remain in effect until support delinquencies have been paid in full.
  (2)  The notice shall include all of the following:
  (a)  A statement regarding the amount of delinquent support owed by the obligor.
  (b)  A statement providing information that if the delinquency is in excess of two thousand five hundred dollars, the United States secretary of state may apply a passport sanction by revoking, restricting, limiting, or refusing to issue a passport as provided in 42 U.S.C. §652(k).
  (c)  Information regarding the procedures for challenging the certification by child support services.
  (3)  (a)  If the obligor chooses to challenge the certification, the obligor shall notify child support services within the time period specified in the notice to the obligor. The obligor shall include any relevant information with the challenge.
  (b)  A challenge shall be based upon mistake of fact. For the purposes of this subsection, “mistake of fact” means a mistake in the identity of the obligor or a mistake in the amount of the delinquent child support owed if the amount did not exceed two thousand five hundred dollars on the date of child support services’ decision on the challenge.
  (4)  Upon timely receipt of the challenge, child support services shall review the certification for a mistake of fact, or refer the challenge for review to the child support agency in the state chosen by the obligor as provided by federal law.
  (5)  Following child support services’ review of the certification, child support services shall send a written decision to the obligor within ten days of timely receipt of the challenge.
  (a)  If child support services determines that a mistake of fact exists, child support services shall send notification in accordance with federal procedures withdrawing the certification for passport sanction.
  (b)  If child support services determines that a mistake of fact does not exist, the obligor may contest the determination within ten days following the issuance of the decision by submitting a written request for a contested case proceeding pursuant to chapter 17A.
  (6)  Following issuance of a final decision under chapter 17A that no mistake of fact exists, the obligor may request a hearing before the district court pursuant to chapter 17A. The department shall transmit a copy of its record to the district court pursuant to chapter 17A. The scope of the review by the district court shall be limited to demonstration of a mistake of fact. Issues related to visitation, custody, or other provisions not related to the support provisions of a support order are not grounds for a hearing under this subsection.
  c.  Following certification to the secretary, if child support services determines that an obligor no longer owes delinquent support in excess of two thousand five hundred dollars, child support services shall provide information and notice as the secretary requires to withdraw the certification for passport sanction.
  13.  a.  Impose an annual fee, which shall be retained from support collected on behalf of the obligee, in accordance with 42 U.S.C. §654(6)(B)(ii). Child support services shall send information regarding the requirements of this subsection by regular mail to the last known address of an affected obligee, or may include the information for an obligee in an application for services signed by the obligee. In addition, child support services shall take steps necessary regarding the fee to qualify for federal funds in conformity with the provisions of Tit. IV-D of the federal Social Security Act, including receiving and accounting for fee payments, as appropriate, through the collection services center created in section 252B.13A.
  b.  Fees collected pursuant to this subsection shall be considered appropriated receipts as defined in section 8.2, and shall be used for the purposes of child support services. The director shall maintain an accurate record of the fees collected and expended under this subsection.
  c.  Until such time as a methodology to secure payment of the collections fee from the obligor is provided by law, an obligee may act pursuant to this paragraph to recover the collections fee from the obligor. If child support services retains all or a portion of the collections fee imposed pursuant to paragraph “a” in a federal fiscal year, there is an automatic nonsupport judgment, in an amount equal to the amount retained, against the obligor payable to the obligee. This paragraph shall serve as constructive notice that the fee amount, once retained, is an automatic nonsupport judgment against the obligor. The obligee may use any legal means, including the lien created by the nonsupport judgment, to collect the nonsupport judgment.
[C77, 79, 81, §252B.5; 82 Acts, ch 1260, §123]
83 Acts, ch 96, §157, 159; 90 Acts, ch 1224, §4, 5; 92 Acts, ch 1195, §503; 93 Acts, ch 78, §8; 93 Acts, ch 79, §33, 38; 94 Acts, ch 1171, §15; 97 Acts, ch 41, §32; 97 Acts, ch 175, §30 – 33; 98 Acts, ch 1170, §34; 2001 Acts, ch 79, §2, 4; 2003 Acts, ch 145, §219, 220; 2005 Acts, ch 69, §8, 9; 2007 Acts, ch 218, §45, 137 – 141, 157, 187; 2008 Acts, ch 1157, §2; 2009 Acts, ch 15, §16, 17; 2009 Acts, ch 133, §97, 223; 2010 Acts, ch 1142, §1; 2012 Acts, ch 1033, §1; 2019 Acts, ch 112, §2; 2020 Acts, ch 1064, §11, 28; 2020 Acts, ch 1118, §73, 74; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §847; 2024 Acts, ch 1185, §160
Referred to in §252B.1, 252B.2, 252B.6, 252B.9, 252B.23, 421.17

  
     
252B.6  Additional services in assistance cases.
  In addition to the services enumerated in section 252B.5, child support services may provide the following services in the case of a dependent child for whom public assistance is being provided:
  1.  Represent the state in obtaining a support order necessary to meet the child’s needs or in enforcing a similar order previously entered.
  2.  Represent the state’s interest in obtaining support for a child in dissolution of marriage and separate maintenance proceedings, or proceedings supplemental to these proceedings or any other support proceedings, when either or both of the parties to the proceedings are receiving public assistance, for the purpose of advising the court of the financial interest of the state in the proceeding.
  3.  Appear on behalf of the state for the purpose of facilitating the modification of support awards consistent with guidelines established pursuant to section 598.21B, and Tit. IV-D of the federal Social Security Act. Child support services shall not otherwise participate in the proceeding.
  4.  Apply to the district court or initiate an administrative action, as necessary, to obtain, enforce, or modify support.
  5.  Initiate necessary civil proceedings to recover from the parent of a child, money expended by the state in providing public assistance or services to the child, including support collection services.
[C77, 79, 81, §252B.6]
83 Acts, ch 153, §17; 90 Acts, ch 1224, §6, 7; 97 Acts, ch 175, §34, 46; 2005 Acts, ch 69, §10; 2010 Acts, ch 1061, §180; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §848, 849
Referred to in §252B.1, 252B.2

  
     
252B.6A  External services.
  1.  Provided that the action is consistent with applicable federal law and regulation, an attorney licensed in this state shall receive compensation as provided in this section for support collected as the direct result of a judicial proceeding maintained by the attorney, if all of the following apply to the case:
  a.  Child support services is providing services under this chapter.
  b.  The current support obligation is terminated and only arrearages are due under an administrative or court order and there has been no payment under the order for at least the twelve-month period prior to the provision of notice to child support services by the attorney under this section.
  c.  Support is assigned to the state based upon cash assistance paid under chapter 239B, or its successor.
  d.  The attorney has provided written notice to child support services and to the obligee at the last known address of the obligee of the intent to initiate a specified judicial proceeding, at least thirty days prior to initiating the proceeding.
  e.  The attorney has provided documentation to child support services that the attorney is insured against loss caused by the attorney’s legal malpractice or acts or omissions of the attorney which result in loss to the state or other person.
  f.  The collection is received by the collection services center within ninety days of provision of the notice to child support services. An attorney may provide subsequent notices to child support services to extend the time for receipt of the collection by subsequent ninety-day periods.
  2.  a.  If, prior to February 15, 1998, notice is provided pursuant to subsection 1 to initiate a specific judicial proceeding, this section shall not apply to the proceeding unless child support services consents to the proceeding.
  b.  (1)  If, on or after February 15, 1998, notice is provided pursuant to subsection 1 to initiate a specific judicial proceeding, this section shall apply to the proceeding only if the case is exempt from application of rules adopted by the department pursuant to subparagraph (2) which limit application of this section.
  (2)  The department shall adopt rules which include but are not limited to exemption from application of this section to proceedings based upon but not limited to any of the following:
  (a)  A finding of good cause pursuant to section 252B.3.
  (b)  The existence of a support obligation due another state based upon public assistance provided by that state.
  (c)  The maintaining of another proceeding by an attorney under this section for which child support services has not received notice that the proceeding has concluded or the ninety-day period during which a collection may be received pertaining to the same case has not yet expired.
  (d)  The initiation of a seek employment action under section 252B.21, and the notice from the attorney indicates that the attorney intends to pursue a contempt action.
  (e)  Any other basis for exemption of a specified proceeding designated by rule which relates to collection and enforcement actions provided by child support services.
  3.  Child support services shall issue a response to the attorney providing notice within ten days of receipt of the notice. The response shall advise the attorney whether the case to which the specified judicial proceeding applies meets the requirements of this section.
  4.  For the purposes of this section, a “judicial proceeding” means an action to enforce support filed with a court of competent jurisdiction in which the court issues an order which identifies the amount of the support collection which is a direct result of the court proceeding. “Judicial proceedings” include but are not limited to those pursuant to chapter 598, 626, 633, 642, 654, or 684 and also include contempt proceedings if the collection payment is identified in the court order as the result of such a proceeding. “Judicial proceedings” do not include enforcement actions which child support services is required to implement under federal law including but not limited to income withholding.
  5.  All of the following are applicable to a collection which is the result of a judicial proceeding which meets the requirements of this section:
  a.  All payments made as the result of a judicial proceeding under this section shall be made to the clerk of the district court or to the collection services center and shall not be made to the attorney. Payments received by the clerk of the district court shall be forwarded to the collection services center as provided in section 252B.15.
  b.  The attorney shall be entitled to receive an amount which is equal to twenty-five percent of the support collected as the result of the specified judicial proceeding not to exceed the amount of the nonfederal share of assigned support collected as the result of that proceeding. The amount paid under this paragraph is the full amount of compensation due the attorney for a proceeding under this section and is in lieu of any attorney fees. The court shall not order the obligor to pay additional attorney fees. The amount of compensation calculated by child support services is subject, upon application of the attorney, to judicial review.
  c.  Any support collected shall be disbursed in accordance with federal requirements and any support due the obligee shall be disbursed to the obligee prior to disbursement to the attorney as compensation.
  d.  The collection services center shall disburse compensation due the attorney only from the nonfederal share of assigned collections. The collection services center shall not disburse any compensation for court costs.
  e.  Child support services may delay disbursement to the attorney pending the resolution of any timely appeal by the obligor or obligee.
  f.  Negotiation of a partial payment or settlement for support shall not be made without the approval of child support services and the obligee, as applicable.
  6.  The attorney initiating a judicial proceeding under this section shall notify child support services when the judicial proceeding is completed.
  7.  a.  An attorney who initiates a judicial proceeding under this section represents the state for the sole and limited purpose of collecting support to the extent provided in this section.
  b.  The attorney is not an employee of the state and has no right to any benefit or compensation other than as specified in this section.
  c.  The state is not liable or subject to suit for any acts or omissions resulting in any damages as a consequence of the attorney’s acts or omissions under this section.
  d.  The attorney shall hold the state harmless from any act or omissions of the attorney which may result in any penalties or sanctions, including those imposed under federal bankruptcy laws, and the state may recover any penalty or sanction imposed by offsetting any compensation due the attorney under this section for collections received as a result of any judicial proceeding initiated under this section.
  e.  The attorney initiating a proceeding under this section does not represent the obligor.
  8.  Child support services shall comply with all state and federal laws regarding confidentiality. Child support services may release to an attorney who has provided notice under this section, information regarding child support balances due, to the extent provided under such laws.
  9.  This section shall not be interpreted to prohibit child support services from providing services or taking other actions to enforce support as provided under this chapter.
97 Acts, ch 41, §32; 97 Acts, ch 175, §35; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §850; 2023 Acts, ch 64, §34, 35

  
     
252B.7  Legal services.
  1.  The attorney general may perform the legal services for child support services and may enforce all laws for the recovery of child support from responsible relatives. The attorney general may file and prosecute:
  a.  Contempt of court proceedings to enforce any order of court pertaining to child support.
  b.  Cases under chapter 252A, the support of dependents law.
  c.  An information charging a violation of section 726.3, 726.5 or 726.6.
  d.  Any other lawful action which will secure collection of support for minor children.
  2.  For the purposes of subsection 1, the attorney general has the same power to commence, file, and prosecute any action or information in the proper jurisdiction, which the county attorney could file or prosecute in that jurisdiction. This section does not relieve a county attorney from the county attorney’s duties, or the attorney general from the supervisory power of the attorney general, in the recovery of child support.
  3.  Child support services may contract with a county attorney, the attorney general, a clerk of the district court, or another person or agency to collect support obligations and to administer the child support services required pursuant to this chapter. Notwithstanding section 13.7, child support services may contract with private attorneys for the prosecution of civil collection and recovery cases and may pay reasonable compensation and expenses to private attorneys for the prosecution services provided.
  4.  An attorney employed by or under contract with child support services represents and acts exclusively on behalf of the state when providing child support enforcement services. An attorney-client relationship does not exist between the attorney and an individual party, witness, or person other than the state, regardless of the name in which the action is brought.
[C77, 79, 81, §252B.7]
83 Acts, ch 153, §18; 90 Acts, ch 1224, §8; 97 Acts, ch 175, §36, 47; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §851
Referred to in §252B.20A, 252H.4, 600B.41A

     
252B.7A  Determining parent’s income.
  1.  Child support services shall use any of the following in determining the amount of the net monthly income of a parent for purposes of establishing or modifying a support obligation:
  a.  Income as identified in a signed statement of the parent pursuant to section 252B.9, subsection 1, paragraph “b”. If evidence suggests that the statement is incomplete or inaccurate, child support services may present the evidence to the court in a judicial proceeding or to the director in a proceeding under chapter 252C or a comparable chapter, and the court or director shall weigh the evidence in setting the support obligation. Evidence includes but is not limited to income as established under paragraph “c”.
  b.  If a sworn statement is not provided by the parent, child support services may determine income as established under paragraph “c” or “d”.
  c.  Income established by any of the following:
  (1)  Income verified by an employer or payor of income.
  (2)  Income reported to the department of workforce development.
  (3)  For a public assistance recipient, income as reported to the department case worker assigned to the public assistance case.
  (4)  Other written documentation which identifies income.
  d.  By July 1, 1999, the department shall adopt rules for imputing income, whenever possible, based on the earning capacity of a parent who does not provide income information or for whom income information is not available. Until such time as the department adopts rules establishing a different standard for determining the income of a parent who does not provide income information or for whom income information is not available, the estimated state median income for a one-person family as published annually in the federal register for use by the federal office of community services, office of energy assistance, for the subsequent federal fiscal year.
  (1)  This provision is effective beginning July 1, 1992, based upon the information published in the federal register dated March 8, 1991.
  (2)  Child support services may revise the estimated income each October 1. If the estimate is not available or has not been published, child support services may revise the estimate when it becomes available.
  e.  When the income information obtained pursuant to this subsection does not include the information necessary to determine the net monthly income of the parent, child support services may deduct twenty percent from the parent’s gross monthly income to arrive at the net monthly income figure.
  2.  The amount of the income determined may be challenged any time prior to the entry of a new or modified order for support.
  3.  If child support services is providing services pursuant to this chapter, the court shall use the income figure determined pursuant to this section when applying the guidelines to determine the amount of support.
  4.  The department may develop rules as necessary to further implement disclosure of financial information of the parties.
92 Acts, ch 1195, §201; 96 Acts, ch 1186, §23; 97 Acts, ch 175, §37; 98 Acts, ch 1170, §43; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §852
Referred to in §252C.3, 252F.3, 252F.4, 252H.6, 252H.9, 252H.14A

  
     
252B.7B  Informational materials provided by child support services.
  1.  Child support services shall prepare and make available to the public informational materials which explain child support services’ procedures including but not limited to procedures with regard to all of the following:
  a.  Accepting applications for services.
  b.  Locating individuals.
  c.  Establishing paternity.
  d.  Establishing support.
  e.  Enforcing support.
  f.  Modifying, suspending, or reinstating support.
  g.  Terminating services.
  2.  The informational materials shall include general information about and descriptions of the processes involved relating to the services provided by child support services including application for services, fees for services, the responsibilities of the recipient of services, resolution of disagreements with child support services, rights to challenge the actions of child support services, and obtaining additional information.
97 Acts, ch 175, §38; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §853

     
252B.8  Central information center.
  The department shall establish within child support services an information and administration coordinating center which shall serve as a registry for the receipt of information and for answering interstate inquiries concerning absent parents and shall coordinate and supervise child support services’ activities. The information and administration coordinating center shall promote cooperation between child support services and law enforcement agencies to facilitate the effective operation of child support services.
[C77, 79, 81, §252B.8]
2023 Acts, ch 19, §854

  
     
252B.9  Information and assistance from others — availability of records.
  1.  a.  The director may request from state, county, and local agencies information and assistance deemed necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter. State, county, and local agencies, officers, and employees shall cooperate with child support services and shall on request supply the department with available information relative to the absent parent, the custodial parent, and any other necessary party, notwithstanding any provisions of law making this information confidential. The cooperation and information required by this subsection shall also be provided when it is requested by a child support agency. Information required by this subsection includes but is not limited to information relative to location, income, property holdings, records of licenses as defined in section 252J.1, and records concerning the ownership and control of corporations, partnerships, and other business entities. If the information is maintained in an automated database, child support services shall be provided automated access.
  b.  Parents of a child on whose behalf support enforcement services are provided shall provide information regarding income, resources, financial circumstances, and property holdings to the department for the purpose of establishment, modification, or enforcement of a support obligation. The department may provide the information to parents of a child as needed to implement the requirements of section 598.21B, notwithstanding any provisions of law making this information confidential.
  c.  Notwithstanding any provisions of law making this information confidential, all persons, including for-profit, nonprofit, and governmental employers, shall, on request, promptly supply child support services or a child support agency information on the employment, compensation, and benefits of any individual employed by such person as an employee or contractor with relation to whom child support services or a child support agency is providing services.
  d.  Notwithstanding any provisions of law making this information confidential, child support services may subpoena or a child support agency may use the administrative subpoena form promulgated by the secretary of the United States department of health and human services under 42 U.S.C. §652(a)(11)(C), to obtain any of the following:
  (1)  Books, papers, records, or information regarding any financial or other information relating to a paternity or support proceeding.
  (2)  Certain records held by public utilities, cable or other television companies, cellular telephone companies, and internet service providers with respect to individuals who owe or are owed support, or against or with respect to whom a support obligation is sought, consisting of the names and addresses of such individuals and the names and addresses of the employers of such individuals, as appearing in customer records, and including the cellular telephone numbers of such individuals appearing in the customer records of cellular telephone companies. If the records are maintained in automated databases, child support services shall be provided with automated access.
  e.  Child support services or a child support agency may subpoena information for one or more individuals.
  f.  If child support services or a child support agency issues a request under paragraph “c”, or a subpoena under paragraph “d”, all of the following shall apply:
  (1)  Child support services or a child support agency may issue a request or subpoena to a person by sending it by regular mail. Proof of service may be completed according to 
rule of civil procedure 1.442
.
  (2)  A person who is not a parent or putative father in a paternity or support proceeding, who is issued a request or subpoena, shall be provided an opportunity to refuse to comply for good cause by filing a request for a conference with child support services or a child support agency in the manner and within the time specified in rules adopted pursuant to subparagraph (7).
  (3)  Good cause shall be limited to mistake in the identity of the person, or prohibition under federal law to release such information.
  (4)  After the conference, child support services shall issue a notice finding that the person has good cause for refusing to comply, or a notice finding that the person does not have good cause for failing to comply. If the person refuses to comply after issuance of notice finding lack of good cause, or refuses to comply and does not request a conference, the person is subject to a penalty of one hundred dollars per refusal.
  (5)  If the person fails to comply with the request or subpoena, fails to request a conference, and fails to pay a penalty imposed under subparagraph (4), child support services may petition the district court to compel the person to comply with this paragraph. If the person objects to imposition of the penalty, the person may seek judicial review by the district court.
  (6)  If a parent or putative father fails to comply with a subpoena or request for information, the provisions of chapter 252J shall apply.
  (7)  Child support services may adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to implement this section.
  g.  Notwithstanding any provisions of law making this information confidential, child support services or a child support agency shall have access to records and information held by financial institutions with respect to individuals who owe or are owed support, or with respect to whom a support obligation is sought including information on assets and liabilities. If the records are maintained in automated databases, child support services shall be provided with automated access. For the purposes of this section, “financial institution” means financial institution as defined in section 252I.1.
  h.  Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, child support services and a child support agency shall have access to any data maintained by the state of Iowa which contains information that would aid the agency in locating individuals. Such information shall include, but is not limited to, driver’s license, motor vehicle, and criminal justice information. However, the information does not include criminal investigative reports or intelligence files maintained by law enforcement. Child support services and a child support agency shall use or disclose the information obtained pursuant to this paragraph only in accordance with subsection 3. Criminal history records maintained by the department of public safety shall be disclosed in accordance with chapter 692. Child support services shall also have access to the protective order file maintained by the department of public safety.
  i.  Liability shall not arise under this subsection with respect to any disclosure by a person as required by this subsection, and no advance notice from child support services or a child support agency is required prior to requesting information or assistance or issuing a subpoena under this subsection.
  j.  Notwithstanding any provision of law making this information confidential, data provided to the department by an insurance carrier under section 505.25 shall also be provided to child support services. Provision of data to child support services under this paragraph shall not require an agreement or modification of an agreement between the department and an insurance carrier, but the provisions of this section applicable to information received by child support services shall apply to the data received pursuant to section 505.25 in lieu of any confidentiality, privacy, disclosure, use, or other provisions of an agreement between the department and an insurance carrier.
  2.  Notwithstanding other statutory provisions to the contrary, including but not limited to chapters 22 and 217, as the chapters relate to confidentiality of records maintained by the department, the payment records of the collection services center maintained under section 252B.13A may be released, except when prohibited by federal law or regulation, only as follows:
  a.  Payment records of the collection services center may be released upon request for the administration of a plan or program approved for the supplemental nutrition assistance program or under Tit. IV, XIX, or XXI of the federal Social Security Act, as amended, and as otherwise permitted under Tit. IV-D of the federal Social Security Act, as amended. A payment record shall not include address or location information.
  b.  The department may release details related to payment records or provide alternative formats for release of the information for the administration of a plan or program under Tit. IV-D of the federal Social Security Act, as amended, including as follows:
  (1)  Child support services or the collection services center may provide detail or present the information in an alternative format to an individual or to the individual’s legal representative if the individual owes or is owed a support obligation, to an agency assigned the obligation as the result of receipt by a party of public assistance, to an agency charged with enforcing child support pursuant to Tit. IV-D of the federal Social Security Act, as amended, or to the court.
  (2)  For support orders entered in Iowa which are being enforced by child support services, child support services may compile and make available for publication a listing of cases in which no payment has been credited to an accrued or accruing support obligation during a previous three-month period. Each case on the list shall be identified only by the name of the support obligor, the address, if known, of the support obligor, unless the information pertaining to the address of the support obligor is protected through confidentiality requirements established by law and has not otherwise been verified with child support services, the support obligor’s court order docket or case number, the county in which the obligor’s support order is filed, the collection services center case numbers, and the range within which the balance of the support obligor’s delinquency is established. The department shall determine dates for the release of information, the specific format of the information released, and the three-month period used as a basis for identifying cases. The department may not release the information more than twice annually. In compiling the listing of cases, no prior public notice to the obligor is required, but child support services may send notice annually by mail to the current known address of any individual owing a support obligation which is being enforced by child support services. The notice shall inform the individual of the provisions of this subparagraph. Actions taken pursuant to this subparagraph are not subject to review under chapter 17A, and the lack of receipt of a notice does not prevent child support services from proceeding in implementing this subparagraph.
  (3)  The provisions of subparagraph (2) may be applied to support obligations entered in another state, at the request of a child support agency if the child support agency has demonstrated that the provisions of subparagraph (2) are not in conflict with the laws of the state where the support obligation is entered and child support services is enforcing the support obligation.
  (4)  Records relating to the administration, collection, and enforcement of surcharges pursuant to section 252B.23 which are recorded by child support services or a collection entity shall be confidential records except that information, as necessary for support collection and enforcement, may be provided to other governmental agencies, the obligor or the resident parent, or a collection entity under contract with child support services unless otherwise prohibited by the federal law. A collection entity under contract with child support services shall use information obtained for the sole purpose of fulfilling the duties required under the contract, and shall disclose any records obtained by the collection entity to child support services for use in support establishment and enforcement.
  3.  Notwithstanding other statutory provisions to the contrary, including but not limited to chapters 22 and 217, as the chapters relate to the confidentiality of records maintained by the department, information recorded by the department pursuant to this section or obtained by child support services is confidential and, except when prohibited by federal law or regulation, may be used or disclosed as provided in subsection 1, paragraphs “b” and “h”, and subsection 2, and as follows:
  a.  The attorney general may utilize the information to secure, modify, or enforce a support obligation of an individual.
  b.  This subsection shall not permit or require the release of information, except to the extent provided in this section.
  c.  Child support services may release or disclose information as necessary to provide services under section 252B.5, as provided by chapter 252G, as provided by Tit. IV-D of the federal Social Security Act, as amended, or as required by federal law.
  d.  Child support services may release information under section 252B.9A to meet the requirements of Tit. IV-D of the federal Social Security Act for parent locator services.
  e.  Information may be released if directly connected with any of the following:
  (1)  The administration of a plan or program approved for the supplemental nutrition assistance program or under Tit. IV, XIX, or XXI of the federal Social Security Act, as amended.
  (2)  Any investigations, prosecutions, or criminal or civil proceeding conducted in connection with the administration of any such plan or program.
  (3)  Reporting to an appropriate agency or official of any such plan or program, information on known or suspected instances of physical or mental injury, sexual abuse or exploitation, or negligent treatment or maltreatment of a child who is the subject of a child support enforcement action under circumstances which indicate that the child’s health or welfare is threatened.
  f.  Information may be released to courts having jurisdiction in support proceedings. If a court issues an order, which is not entered under section 252B.9A, directing child support services to disclose confidential information, child support services may file a motion to quash pursuant to this chapter, Tit. IV-D of the federal Social Security Act, or other applicable law.
  g.  Child support services may release information for the administration of a plan or program approved for the supplemental nutrition assistance program or under Tit. IV, XIX, or XXI of the federal Social Security Act, as amended, specified under subsection 2 or this subsection, to the extent the release of information does not interfere with child support services meeting its own obligations under Tit. IV-D of the federal Social Security Act, as amended, and subject to requirements prescribed by the federal office of child support enforcement of the United States department of health and human services.
  h.  For purposes of this subsection, “party” means an absent parent, obligor, resident parent, or other necessary party.
  i.  If child support services receives notification under this paragraph, child support services shall notify the federal parent locator service as required by federal law that there is reasonable evidence of domestic violence or child abuse against a party or a child and that the disclosure of information could be harmful to the party or the child. The notification to the federal parent locator service shall be known as notification of a disclosure risk indicator. For purposes of this paragraph, child support services shall notify the federal parent locator service of a disclosure risk indicator only if at least one of the following applies:
  (1)  Child support services receives notification that the department, or comparable agency of another state, has made a finding of good cause or other exception as provided in section 252B.3, or comparable law of another state.
  (2)  Child support services receives and, through automation, matches notification from the department of public safety or child support services receives notification from a court of this or another state, that a court has issued a protective order or no-contact order against a party with respect to another party or child.
  (3)  Child support services receives notification that a court has dismissed a petition for specified confidential information pursuant to section 252B.9A.
  (4)  Child support services receives a copy, regular on its face, of a notarized affidavit or a pleading, which was signed by and made under oath by a party, under chapter 252K, the uniform interstate family support Act, or the comparable law of another state, alleging the health, safety, or liberty of the party or child would be jeopardized by the disclosure of specific identifying information unless a tribunal under chapter 252K, the uniform interstate family support Act, or the comparable law of another state, ordered the identifying information of a party or child be disclosed.
  (5)  Child support services receives and, through automation, matches notification from the department, or child support services receives notification from a comparable agency of another state, of a founded allegation of child abuse, or a comparable finding under the law of the other state.
  (6)  Child support services receives notification that an individual has an exemption from cooperation with child support enforcement under a family investment program safety plan which addresses family or domestic violence.
  (7)  Child support services receives notification that an individual is a certified program participant as provided in chapter 9E.
  (8)  Child support services receives notification, as the result of a request under section 252B.9A, of the existence of any finding, order, affidavit, pleading, safety plan, certification, or founded allegation referred to in subparagraphs (1) through (7) of this paragraph.
  j.  Child support services may provide information regarding delinquent obligors as provided in 42 U.S.C. §666(a)(7) to a consumer reporting agency if all the following apply:
  (1)  The agency provides child support services with satisfactory evidence that it is a consumer reporting agency as defined in 15 U.S.C. §1681a(f) and meets all the following requirements:
  (a)  Compiles and maintains files on consumers on a nationwide basis as provided in 15 U.S.C. §1681a(p).
  (b)  Participates jointly with other nationwide consumer reporting agencies in providing annual free credit reports to consumers upon request through a centralized source as required by the federal trade commission in 16 C.F.R. §610.2.
  (2)  The agency has entered into an agreement with child support services regarding receipt and use of the information.
  4.  Nothing in this chapter, chapter 252A, 252C, 252D, 252E, 252F, 252G, 252H, 252I, 252J, or 252K, or any other comparable chapter or law shall preclude child support services from exchanging any information, notice, document, or certification with any government or private entity, if the exchange is not otherwise prohibited by law, through mutually agreed upon electronic data transfer rather than through other means.
[C77, 79, 81, §252B.9]
89 Acts, ch 283, §31; 90 Acts, ch 1034, §1; 91 Acts, ch 177, §1; 93 Acts, ch 79, §31, 32, 57; 94 Acts, ch 1171, §16; 97 Acts, ch 175, §39, 242; 98 Acts, ch 1170, §2, 20, 23 – 26; 2004 Acts, ch 1116, §20; 2005 Acts, ch 69, §11; 2005 Acts, ch 112, §1; 2006 Acts, ch 1119, §1; 2008 Acts, ch 1019, §8, 9; 2010 Acts, ch 1061, §180; 2012 Acts, ch 1021, §54; 2012 Acts, ch 1033, §2 – 7; 2015 Acts, ch 96, §11, 12, 17; 2015 Acts, ch 110, §85; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §855
Referred to in §252B.7A, 252B.9A, 252B.10, 252B.24, 252G.5, 252H.6, 422.20, 422.72, 598.22B, 598.26

     
252B.9A  Disclosure of confidential information — authorized person — court.
  1.  A person, except a court or government agency, who is an authorized person to receive specified confidential information under 42 U.S.C. §653, may submit a written request to child support services for disclosure of specified confidential information regarding a nonrequesting party. The written request shall comply with federal law and regulations, including any attestation and any payment to the federal office of child support enforcement of the United States department of health and human services required by federal law or regulation, and shall include a sworn statement attesting to the reason why the requester is an authorized person under 42 U.S.C. §653, including that the requester would use the confidential information only for purposes permitted in that section.
  2.  Upon receipt of a request from an authorized person which meets all of the requirements under subsection 1, child support services shall search available records as permitted by law or shall request the information from the federal parent locator service as provided in 42 U.S.C. §653.
  a.  If child support services locates the specified confidential information, child support services shall disclose the information to the extent permitted under federal law, unless one of the following applies:
  (1)  There is a notice from the federal parent locator service that there is reasonable evidence of domestic violence or child abuse pursuant to 42 U.S.C. §653(b)(2).
  (2)  Child support services has notified the federal parent locator service of a disclosure risk indicator as provided in section 252B.9, subsection 3, paragraph “i”, and has not removed that notification.
  (3)  Child support services receives notice of a basis for a disclosure risk indicator listed in section 252B.9, subsection 3, paragraph “i”, within twenty days of sending a notice of the request to the subject of the request by regular mail.
  b.  If child support services locates the specified confidential information, but child support services is prohibited from disclosing confidential information under paragraph “a”, child support services shall deny the request and notify the requester of the denial in writing. Upon receipt of a written notice from child support services denying the request, the requester may file a petition in district court for an order directing child support services to release the requested information to the court as provided in subsection 3.
  3.  A person may file a petition in district court for disclosure of specified confidential information. The petition shall request that the court direct child support services to release specified confidential information to the court, that the court make a determination of harm if appropriate, and that the court release specified confidential information to the petitioner.
  a.  The petition shall include a sworn statement attesting to the intended use of the information by the petitioner as allowed by federal law. Such statement may specify any of the following intended uses:
  (1)  To establish parentage, or to establish, set the amount of, modify, or enforce a child support obligation.
  (2)  To make or enforce a child custody or visitation determination or order.
  (3)  To carry out the duty or authority of the petitioner to investigate, enforce, or bring a prosecution with respect to the unlawful taking or restraint of a child.
  b.  Upon the filing of a petition, the court shall enter an order directing child support services to release to the court within thirty days specified confidential information which child support services would be permitted to release under 42 U.S.C. §653 and 42 U.S.C. §663, unless one of the following applies:
  (1)  There is a notice from the federal parent locator service that there is reasonable evidence of domestic violence or child abuse pursuant to 42 U.S.C. §653(b)(2).
  (2)  Child support services has notified the federal parent locator service of a disclosure risk indicator as provided in section 252B.9, subsection 3, paragraph “i”, and has not removed that notification.
  (3)  Child support services receives notice of a basis for a disclosure risk indicator listed in section 252B.9, subsection 3, paragraph “i”, within twenty days of sending notice of the order to the subject of the request by regular mail. Child support services shall include in the notice to the subject of the request a copy of the court order issued under this paragraph.
  c.  Upon receipt of the order, child support services shall comply as follows:
  (1)  If child support services has the specified confidential information, and none of the domestic violence, child abuse, or disclosure risk indicator provisions of paragraph “b” applies, child support services shall file the confidential information with the court along with a statement that child support services has not received any notice that the domestic violence, child abuse, or disclosure risk indicator provisions of paragraph “b” apply. Child support services shall be granted at least thirty days to respond to the order. The court may extend the time for child support services to comply. Upon receipt by the court of the confidential information under this subparagraph, the court may order the release of the information to the petitioner.
  (2)  If child support services has the specified confidential information, and the domestic violence, child abuse, or disclosure risk indicator provision of paragraph “b” applies, child support services shall file with the court a statement that the domestic violence, child abuse, or disclosure risk indicator provision of paragraph “b” applies, along with any information child support services has received related to the domestic violence, child abuse, or disclosure risk indicator. Child support services shall be granted at least thirty days to respond to the order. The court may extend the time for child support services to comply. Upon receipt by the court of information from child support services under this subparagraph, the court shall make a finding whether disclosure of confidential information to any other person could be harmful to the nonrequesting party or child. In making the finding, the court shall consider any relevant information provided by the parent or child, any information provided by child support services or by a child support agency, any information provided by the petitioner, and any other relevant evidence. Child support services or a child support services’ attorney does not represent any individual person in this proceeding.
  (a)  If the court finds that disclosure of confidential information to any other person could be harmful to the nonrequesting party or child, the court shall dismiss the petition for disclosure and notify child support services to notify the federal parent locator service of a disclosure risk indicator.
  (b)  If the court does not find that disclosure of specified confidential information to any other person could be harmful to the nonrequesting party or child, the court shall notify child support services to file the specified confidential information with the court. Upon receipt by the court of the specified confidential information, the court may release the information to the petitioner and inform child support services to remove the disclosure risk indicator.
  (3)  If child support services does not have the specified confidential information and cannot obtain the information from the federal parent locator service, child support services shall comply with the order by notifying the court of the lack of information.
  4.  The confidential information which may be released by child support services to a party under subsection 2, or by child support services to the court under subsection 3, shall be limited by the federal Social Security Act and other applicable federal law, and child support services may use the sworn statement filed pursuant to subsection 1 or 3 in applying federal law. Any information filed with the court by child support services, when certified over the signature of a designated employee, shall be considered to be satisfactorily identified and shall be admitted as evidence, without requiring third-party foundation testimony. Additional proof of the official character of the person certifying the document or the authenticity of the person’s signature shall not be required.
  5.  When making a request for confidential information under this section, a party or petitioner shall indicate the specific information requested.
  6.  For purposes of this section, “party” means party as defined in section 252B.9, subsection 3.
  7.  Child support services may adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to prescribe provisions in addition to or in lieu of the provisions of this section to comply with federal requirements for parent locator services or the safeguarding of information.
98 Acts, ch 1170, §27; 2012 Acts, ch 1033, §8; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §856
Referred to in §252B.9

     
252B.10  Criminal penalties.
  1.  Any person who willfully requests, obtains, or seeks to obtain paternity determination and support collection data available under section 252B.9 under false pretenses, or who willfully communicates or seeks to communicate such data to any agency or person except in accordance with this chapter, shall be guilty of an aggravated misdemeanor. Any person who knowingly, but without criminal purposes, communicates or seeks to communicate paternity determination and support collection data except in accordance with this chapter shall be guilty of a simple misdemeanor.
  2.  Any reasonable grounds for belief that a public employee has violated any provision of this chapter shall be grounds for immediate removal from all access to paternity determination and support collection data available through or recorded under section 252B.9.
[C77, 79, 81, §252B.10]
97 Acts, ch 175, §40

     
252B.11  Recovery of costs of collection services.
  Child support services may initiate necessary civil proceedings to recover child support services’ costs of support collection services provided to an individual, whether or not the individual is a public assistance recipient, from an individual who owes and is able to pay a support obligation but willfully fails to pay the obligation. Child support services may seek a lump sum recovery of child support services’ costs or may seek to recover child support services’ costs through periodic payments which are in addition to periodic support payments. If child support services’ costs are recovered from an individual owing a support obligation, the costs shall not be deducted from the amount of support money received from the individual. The costs collected pursuant to this section shall be retained by the department for use by child support services. The director or a designee shall keep an accurate record of funds so retained.
83 Acts, ch 153, §19; 92 Acts, ch 1195, §103; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §857

     
252B.12  Jurisdiction over nonresidents.
  In an action to establish paternity or to establish or enforce a child support obligation, or to modify a support order, a nonresident person is subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of this state as specified in section 252K.201.
84 Acts, ch 1242, §1; 97 Acts, ch 175, §48

  
     
252B.13  Reserved. 

  
     
252B.13A  Collection services center.
  1.  The department shall establish within child support services a collection services center for the receipt and disbursement of support payments as defined in section 252D.16 or 598.1 as required for orders by section 252B.14. For purposes of this section, support payments do not include attorney fees, court costs, or property settlements. The center may also receive and disburse surcharges as provided in section 252B.23.
  2.  a.  The collection services center shall meet the requirements for a state disbursement unit pursuant to 42 U.S.C. §654b, section 252B.14, and this section by October 1, 1999.
  b.  Prior to October 1, 1999, the department and the judicial branch shall enter into a cooperative agreement for implementation of the state disbursement unit requirement. The agreement shall include, but is not limited to, provisions for all of the following:
  (1)  Coordination with the state case registry created in section 252B.24.
  (2)  The receipt and disbursement of income withholding payments for orders not receiving services from child support services pursuant to section 252B.14, subsection 4.
  (3)  The transmission of information, orders, and documents, and access to information.
  (4)  Furnishing, upon request, timely information on the current status of support payments as provided in 42 U.S.C. §654b(b)(4), in a manner consistent with state law.
  (5)  The notification of payors of income to direct income withholding payments to the collection services center as provided in section 252B.14, subsection 4.
  3.  Support payments received by the collection services center shall be deposited in the collection services center refund account. The account shall be separate from the general fund of the state and shall not be considered part of the general fund of the state. The moneys deposited in the account are not subject to section 8.33 and shall not be transferred, used, obligated, appropriated, or otherwise encumbered except as provided for the purposes of this chapter. Notwithstanding section 12C.7, subsection 2, interest or earnings on moneys deposited in the account shall be credited to the account.
90 Acts, ch 1224, §9; 91 Acts, ch 177, §2; 93 Acts, ch 79, §39, 40; 97 Acts, ch 175, §41, 243; 98 Acts, ch 1047, §68; 98 Acts, ch 1170, §3; 2014 Acts, ch 1026, §56, 57; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §858; 2024 Acts, ch 1157, §57
Referred to in §252B.5, 252B.9, 252B.15, 252D.17, 252D.20, 602.8102(47C)

  
     
252B.14  Support payments — collection services center or comparable government entity in another state — clerk of the district court.
  1.  For the purposes of this section, “support order” includes any order entered pursuant to chapter 234, 252A, 252C, 598, 600B, or any other support chapter or proceeding which establishes support payments as defined in section 252D.16 or 598.1.
  2.  For support orders being enforced by child support services, support payments made pursuant to the order shall be directed to and disbursed by the collection services center or, as appropriate, a comparable government entity in another state as provided in chapter 252K.
  3.  With the exception of support payments to which subsection 2 or 4 applies, support payments made pursuant to an order shall be directed to and disbursed by the clerk of the district court in the county in which the order for support is filed. The clerk of the district court may require the obligor to submit payments by bank draft or money order if the obligor submits an insufficient funds support payment to the clerk of the district court.
  4.   For a support order to which subsection 2 does not apply, regardless of the terms of the support order directing or redirecting the place of payment, support payments made through income withholding by a payor of income as provided in chapter 252D shall be directed to and disbursed by the collection services center or, as appropriate, a comparable government entity in another state as provided in chapter 252K. The judicial branch and the department shall develop and implement a plan to notify payors of income of this requirement and the effective date of the requirement applicable to the respective payor of income.
  5.  If the collection services center is receiving and disbursing payments pursuant to a support order, but child support services is not providing other services under Tit. IV-D of the federal Social Security Act, or if the order is not being enforced by child support services, the parties to that order are not considered to be receiving services under this chapter.
  6.  Payments to persons other than the clerk of the district court or the collection services center or, as appropriate, a comparable government entity in another state as provided in chapter 252K, do not satisfy the support obligations created by a support order or judgment, except as provided for in sections 598.22 and 598.22A.
86 Acts, ch 1246, §316; 87 Acts, ch 228, §31; 88 Acts, ch 1218, §2; 90 Acts, ch 1224, §10; 91 Acts, ch 177, §3; 93 Acts, ch 79, §41; 97 Acts, ch 175, §42, 43; 98 Acts, ch 1047, §68; 98 Acts, ch 1170, §4; 2010 Acts, ch 1061, §180; 2015 Acts, ch 110, §86; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §859
Referred to in §8.89, 252B.13A, 252D.17, 421.17, 598.22, 598.22A, 598.22B, 642.23
Crediting of support payments ordered on or after July 1, 1985; §598.22A

  
     
252B.15  Processing and disbursement of support payments.
  1.  The collection services center shall notify the clerk of the district court of any order for which child support services is providing enforcement services. The clerk of the district court shall forward any support payment made pursuant to the order, along with any support payment information, to the collection services center. Unless the agreement developed pursuant to section 252B.13A otherwise provides, the clerk of the district court shall forward any support payment made and any support payment information provided through income withholding pursuant to chapter 252D, to the collection services center. The collection services center shall process and disburse the payment in accordance with federal requirements.
  2.  Unless otherwise provided under federal law, if it is possible to identify the support order to which a payment is to be applied and if sufficient information is provided to identify the obligee, a payment received by the collection services center or the clerk of the district court shall be disbursed to the appropriate individual or office within two working days in accordance with section 598.22.
  3.  If the collection services center receives an incorrectly submitted payment, the collection services center shall promptly return the payment to the sender and, if known, provide information about where to send the payment.
  4.  Chapter 556 shall not apply to payments received by the collection services center.
90 Acts, ch 1224, §11; 91 Acts, ch 177, §4; 93 Acts, ch 79, §42; 98 Acts, ch 1170, §5; 2006 Acts, ch 1119, §2; 2015 Acts, ch 110, §87; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §860
Referred to in §252B.6A

  
     
252B.16  Transfer of support order processing responsibilities — ongoing procedures.
  1.  For a support order being processed by the clerk of the district court, upon notification that child support services is providing enforcement services related to the order, the clerk of the district court shall immediately transfer the responsibility for the disbursement of support payments received pursuant to the order to the collection services center.
  2.  The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to ensure that the affected parties are notified that the support payment disbursement responsibilities have been transferred to the collection services center from the clerk of the district court. The rules shall include a provision requiring that a notice shall be sent by regular mail to the last known addresses of the obligee and the obligor. The issuance of notice to the obligor is the equivalent of a court order requiring the obligor to direct payment to the collection services center for disbursement.
  3.  Once the responsibility for receiving and disbursing support payments has been transferred from a clerk of the district court to the collection services center, the responsibility shall remain with the collection services center even if child support services is no longer providing enforcement services, unless redirected by court order. However, the responsibility for receiving and disbursing income withholding payments shall not be redirected to a clerk of the district court.
  4.  As provided in sections 252K.307 and 252K.319, child support services may issue and file with the clerk of the district court, a notice redirecting support payments to a comparable government entity responsible for the processing and disbursement of support payments in another state. Child support services shall send a copy of the notice by regular mail to the last known addresses of the obligor and obligee and, where applicable, shall notify the payor of income to make payments as specified in the notice. The issuance and filing of the notice is the equivalent of a court order redirecting support.
86 Acts, ch 1246, §316; 88 Acts, ch 1218, §3; 90 Acts, ch 1224, §12; 91 Acts, ch 177, §5; 93 Acts, ch 79, §43; 98 Acts, ch 1170, §6; 2015 Acts, ch 110, §88; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §861
Referred to in §598.22B

     
252B.17  Admissibility and identification of support payment records.
  Copies of support payment records maintained by the collection services center, when certified over the signature of a designated employee of the center, shall be considered to be satisfactorily identified and shall be admitted in any proceeding as prima facie evidence of the transactions. Additional proof of the official character of the person certifying the record or the authenticity of the person’s signature shall not be required. Whenever an employee of the collection services center is served with a summons, subpoena, subpoena duces tecum, or order directing that person to produce such records, the employee may comply by transmitting a copy of the payment records certified as described above to the clerk of the district court.
86 Acts, ch 1246, §316

     
252B.17A  Imaging or photographic copies — originals destroyed.
  1.  If child support services, in the regular course of business or activity, has recorded or received any memorandum, writing, entry, print, document, representation, or combination thereof, of any act, transaction, occurrence, event, or communication from any source, and in the regular course of business has caused any or all of the same to be recorded, copied, or reproduced by any photographic, photostatic, microfilm, microcard, miniature photographic, electronic imaging, electronic data processing, or other process which accurately reproduces or forms a durable medium for accurately and legibly reproducing an unaltered image or reproduction of the original, the original may be destroyed. Such reproduction, when satisfactorily identified, is as admissible in evidence as the original itself in any judicial or administrative proceeding whether the original is in existence or not and an enlargement or facsimile of such reproduction is likewise admissible in evidence if the original recording, copy, or reproduction is in existence and available for inspection. The introduction of a reproduced record, enlargement, or facsimile, does not preclude admission of the original.
  2.  The electronically imaged, copied, or otherwise reproduced record or document maintained or received by child support services, when certified over the signature of a designated employee of child support services, shall be considered to be satisfactorily identified. Certified documents are deemed to have been imaged or copied or otherwise reproduced accurately and unaltered in the regular course of business, and such documents are admissible in any judicial or administrative proceeding as evidence. Additional proof of the official character of the person certifying the record or authenticity of the person’s signature shall not be required. Whenever child support services or an employee of child support services is served with a summons, subpoena, subpoena duces tecum, or order directing production of such records, child support services or the employee may comply by transmitting a copy of the record certified as described above to the district court.
97 Acts, ch 175, §44; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §862

  
     
252B.18  Child support advisory committee — established — duties.  Repealed by 2010 Acts, ch 1031, §393.

252B.19  Reserved.

  
     
252B.20  Suspension of support — request by mutual consent.
  1.  If child support services is providing child support enforcement services pursuant to this chapter, the parents of a dependent child for whom support has been ordered pursuant to chapter 252A, 252C, 252F, 598, 600B, or any other chapter, may jointly request the assistance of child support services in suspending the obligation for support if all of the following conditions exist:
  a.  The parents have reconciled and are cohabiting, and the child for whom support is ordered is living in the same residence as the parents, or the child is currently residing with the parent who is ordered to pay support. If the basis for suspension under this paragraph applies to at least one but not all of the children for whom support is ordered, the condition of this paragraph is met only if the support order includes a step change.
  b.  The child for whom support is ordered is not receiving public assistance pursuant to chapter 239B, 249A, or a comparable law of another state or foreign country, unless the person against whom support is ordered is considered to be a member of the same household as the child for the purposes of public assistance eligibility.
  c.  The parents have signed a notarized affidavit attesting to the conditions under paragraphs “a” and “b”, have consented to suspension of the support order or obligation, and have submitted the affidavit to child support services.
  d.  No prior request for suspension has been filed with child support services under this section and no prior request for suspension has been served by child support services under section 252B.20A during the two-year period preceding the request.
  e.  Any other criteria established by rule of the department.
  2.  Upon receipt of the application for suspension and properly executed and notarized affidavit, child support services shall review the application and affidavit to determine that the necessary criteria have been met. Child support services shall then do one of the following:
  a.  Deny the request and notify the parents in writing that the application is being denied, providing reasons for the denial and notifying the parents of the right to proceed through private counsel. Denial of the application is not subject to contested case proceedings or further review pursuant to chapter 17A.
  b.  Approve the request and prepare an order which shall be submitted, along with the affidavit, to a judge of a district court for approval, suspending the accruing support obligation and, if requested by the obligee, and if not prohibited by chapter 252K, satisfying the obligation of support due the obligee. If the basis for suspension applies to at least one but not all of the children for whom support is ordered and the support order includes a step change, child support services shall prepare an order suspending the accruing support obligation for each child to whom the basis for suspension applies.
  3.  An order approved by the court for suspension of an accruing support obligation is effective upon the date of filing of the suspension order. The satisfaction of an obligation of support due the obligee shall be final upon the filing of the suspension order. A support obligation which is satisfied is not subject to the reinstatement provisions of this section.
  4.  An order suspending an accruing support obligation entered by the court pursuant to this section shall be considered a temporary order for the period of six months from the date of filing of the suspension order. However, the six-month period shall not include any time during which an application for reinstatement is pending before the court.
  5.  During the six-month period child support services may request that the court reinstate the accruing support order or obligation if any of the following conditions exist:
  a.  Upon application to child support services by either parent or other person who has physical custody of the child.
  b.  Upon the receipt of public assistance benefits, pursuant to chapter 239B, 249A, or a comparable law of another state or foreign country, by the person entitled to receive support and the child on whose behalf support is paid, provided that the person owing the support is not considered to be a member of the same household as the child for the purposes of public assistance eligibility.
  6.  If a condition under subsection 5 exists, child support services may request that the court reinstate an accruing support obligation as follows:
  a.  If the basis for the suspension no longer applies to any of the children for whom an accruing support obligation was suspended, child support services shall request that the court reinstate the accruing support obligations for all of the children.
  b.  If the basis for the suspension continues to apply to at least one but not all of the children for whom an accruing support obligation was suspended and if the support order includes a step change, child support services shall request that the court reinstate the accruing support obligation for each child for whom the basis for the suspension no longer applies.
  7.  Upon filing of an application for reinstatement, service of the application shall be made either in person or by first class mail upon both parents. Within ten days following the date of service, the parents may file a written objection with the clerk of the district court to the entry of an order for reinstatement.
  a.  If no objection is filed, the court may enter an order reinstating the accruing support obligation without additional notice.
  b.  If an objection is filed, the clerk of court shall set the matter for hearing and send notice of the hearing to both parents and child support services.
  8.  The reinstatement is effective as follows:
  a.  For reinstatements initiated under subsection 5, paragraph “a”, the date the notices were served on both parents pursuant to subsection 7.
  b.  For reinstatements initiated under subsection 5, paragraph “b”, the date the child began receiving public assistance benefits during the suspension of the obligation.
  c.  Support which became due during the period of suspension but prior to the reinstatement is waived and not due and owing unless the parties requested and agreed to the suspension under false pretenses.
  9.  If the order suspending a support obligation has been on file with the court for a period exceeding six months as computed pursuant to subsection 4, the order becomes final by operation of law and terminates the support obligation, and thereafter, a party seeking to establish a support obligation against either party shall bring a new action for support as provided by law.
  10.  This section shall not limit the rights of the parents or child support services to proceed by other means to suspend, terminate, modify, reinstate, or establish support.
  11.  This section does not provide for the suspension or retroactive modification of support obligations which accrued prior to the entry of an order suspending enforcement and collection of support pursuant to this section. However, if in the application for suspension, an obligee elects to satisfy an obligation of accrued support due the obligee, the suspension order may satisfy the obligation of accrued support due the obligee.
  12.  Nothing in this section shall prohibit or limit child support services or a party entitled to receive support from enforcing and collecting any unpaid or unsatisfied support that accrued prior to the suspension of the accruing obligation.
  13.  For the purposes of chapter 252H, subchapter II, regarding the criteria for a review or for a cost-of-living alteration under chapter 252H, subchapter IV, if a support obligation is terminated or reinstated under this section, such termination or reinstatement shall not be considered a modification of the support order.
  14.  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires, “step change” means a change designated in a support order specifying the amount of the child support obligation as the number of children entitled to support under the order changes.
  15.  As specified in this section, if the child for whom support is ordered is not receiving public assistance pursuant to chapter 239B, 249A, or a comparable law of another state or foreign country, upon agreement of the parents, child support services may facilitate the suspension of the child support order or obligation if the child is residing with a caretaker, who is a natural person, and who has not requested child support services to provide services under this chapter. The parents and the caretaker shall sign a notarized affidavit attesting to the conditions under this section, consent to the suspension of the support order or obligation, and submit the affidavit to child support services. Upon the receipt of public assistance benefits pursuant to chapter 239B, 249A, or a comparable law of another state or foreign country, by the child on whose behalf support is ordered, or upon application to child support services by either parent or the caretaker, child support services may, within the time periods specified in this section, request the reinstatement of the accruing support order or obligation pursuant to this section.
  16.  The department may adopt all necessary and proper rules to administer and interpret this section.
93 Acts, ch 79, §24; 94 Acts, ch 1171, §18; 96 Acts, ch 1141, §4; 97 Acts, ch 41, §32; 98 Acts, ch 1170, §46, 47; 2005 Acts, ch 112, §2 – 5; 2011 Acts, ch 25, §20; 2015 Acts, ch 110, §119, 123; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §863
Referred to in §252B.20A

  
     
252B.20A  Suspension of support — request by one party.
  1.  If child support services is providing child support enforcement services pursuant to this chapter, the obligor who is ordered to pay support for the dependent child pursuant to chapter 252A, 252C, or 252F, may request the assistance of child support services in suspending the obligation for support if all of the following conditions exist:
  a.  The child is currently residing with the obligor and has been for more than sixty consecutive days. If the basis for suspension under this paragraph applies to at least one but not all of the children for whom support is ordered, the condition of this paragraph is met only if the support order includes a step change.
  b.  There is no order in effect regarding legal custody, physical care, visitation, or other parenting time for the child.
  c.  It is reasonably expected that the basis for suspension under this section will continue for not less than six months. 
  d.  The child for whom support is ordered is not receiving public assistance pursuant to chapter 239B, 249A, or a comparable law of another state or foreign country, unless the obligor is considered to be a member of the same household as the child for the purposes of public assistance eligibility. 
  e.  The obligor has signed a notarized affidavit, provided by child support services, attesting to the existence of the conditions under paragraphs “a” through “d”, has requested suspension of the support order or obligation, and has submitted the affidavit to child support services.
  f.  No prior request for suspension has been served under this section, and no prior request for suspension has been filed with child support services pursuant to section 252B.20, during the two-year period preceding the request.
  g.  Any other criteria established by rule of the department.
  2.  Upon receipt of the application for suspension and properly executed and notarized affidavit, child support services shall review the application and affidavit to determine that the criteria have been met. Child support services shall then do one of the following:
  a.  If child support services determines the criteria have not been met, deny the request and notify the obligor in writing that the application is being denied, providing reasons for the denial and notifying the obligor of the right to proceed through private counsel. Denial of the application is not subject to contested case proceedings or further review pursuant to chapter 17A.
  b.  If child support services determines the criteria have been met, serve a copy of the notice and supporting documents on the obligee by any means provided in section 252B.26. The notice to the obligee shall include all of the following:
  (1)  Information sufficient to identify the parties and the support order affected.
  (2)  An explanation of the procedure for suspension and reinstatement of support under this section.
  (3)  An explanation of the rights and responsibilities of the obligee, including the applicable procedural time frames.
  (4)  A statement that within twenty days of service, the obligee must submit a signed and notarized response to child support services objecting to at least one of the assertions in subsection 1, paragraphs “a” through “d”. The statement shall inform the obligee that if, within twenty days of service, the obligee fails to submit a response as specified in this subparagraph, notwithstanding 
rules of civil procedure 1.972(2)
 and 
1.972(3)
, child support services will prepare and submit an order as provided in subsection 3, paragraph “b”.
  3.  No sooner than thirty days after service on the obligee under subsection 2, paragraph “b”, child support services shall do one of the following:
  a.  If the obligee submits a signed and notarized objection to any assertion in subsection 1, paragraphs “a” through “d”, deny the request and notify the parties in writing that the application is denied, providing reasons for the denial, and notifying the parties of the right to proceed through private counsel. Denial of the application is not subject to contested case proceedings or further review pursuant to chapter 17A.
  b.  If the obligee does not timely submit a signed and notarized objection to child support services, prepare an order which shall be submitted, along with supporting documents, to a judge of a district court for approval, suspending the accruing support obligation. If the basis for suspension applies to at least one but not all of the children for whom support is ordered and the support order includes a step change, child support services shall prepare an order suspending the accruing support obligation for each child to whom the basis for suspension applies.
  4.  An order approved by the court for suspension of an accruing support obligation is effective upon the date of filing of the suspension order.
  5.  An order suspending an accruing support obligation entered by the court pursuant to this section shall be considered a temporary order for the period of six months from the date of filing of the suspension order. However, the six-month period shall not include any time during which an application for reinstatement is pending before the court.
  6.  During the six-month period, child support services may request that the court reinstate the accruing support order or obligation if any of the following conditions exist:
  a.  Upon application to child support services by either party or other person who has physical custody of the child.
  b.  Upon the receipt of public assistance benefits pursuant to chapter 239B, 249A, or a comparable law of another state or foreign country, by the person entitled to receive support and the child on whose behalf support is paid, provided that the person owing the support is not considered to be a member of the same household as the child for the purposes of public assistance eligibility.
  7.  If a condition under subsection 6 exists, child support services may request that the court reinstate an accruing support obligation as follows: 
  a.  If the basis for the suspension no longer applies to any of the children for whom an accruing support obligation was suspended, child support services shall request that the court reinstate the accruing support obligations for all of the children.
  b.  If the basis for the suspension continues to apply to at least one but not all of the children for whom an accruing support obligation was suspended and if the support order includes a step change, child support services shall request that the court reinstate the accruing support obligation for each child for whom the basis for the suspension no longer applies.
  8.  Upon filing of an application for reinstatement, service of the application shall be made either in person or by first class mail upon the parties. Within ten days following the date of service, a party may file a written objection with the clerk of the district court to the entry of an order for reinstatement.
  a.  If no objection is filed, the court may enter an order reinstating the accruing support obligation without additional notice.
  b.  If an objection is filed, the clerk of court shall set the matter for hearing and send notice of the hearing to the parties and child support services.
  9.  a.  The reinstatement is effective as follows:
  (1)  For reinstatements initiated under subsection 6, paragraph “a”, the date the notices were served on the parties pursuant to subsection 8.
  (2)  For reinstatements initiated under subsection 6, paragraph “b”, the date the child began receiving public assistance benefits during the suspension of the obligation.
  b.  Support which became due during the period of suspension but prior to the reinstatement is waived and not due and owing unless the suspension was made under false pretenses.
  10.  If the order suspending a support obligation has been on file with the court for a period exceeding six months as computed pursuant to subsection 5, the order becomes final by operation of law and terminates the support obligation, and thereafter, a party seeking to establish a support obligation against either party shall bring a new action for support as provided by law.
  11.  Legal representation of child support services shall be provided pursuant to section 252B.7, subsection 4.
  12.  This section shall not limit the rights of a party or child support services to proceed by other means to suspend, terminate, modify, reinstate, or establish support.
  13.  This section does not provide for the suspension or retroactive modification of support obligations which accrued prior to the entry of an order suspending enforcement and collection of support pursuant to this section.
  14.  Nothing in this section shall prohibit or limit child support services or a party entitled to receive support from enforcing and collecting any unpaid or unsatisfied support that accrued prior to the suspension of the accruing obligation. 
  15.  For the purposes of chapter 252H regarding the criteria for a review under subchapter II of that chapter or for a cost-of-living alteration under subchapter IV of that chapter, if a support obligation is terminated or reinstated under this section, such termination or reinstatement shall not be considered a modification of the support order.
  16.  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires, “step change” means a change designated in a support order specifying the amount of the child support obligation as the number of children entitled to support under the order changes.
  17.  As specified in this section, if the child for whom support is ordered is not receiving public assistance pursuant to chapter 239B, 249A, or a comparable law of another state or foreign country, upon request by the obligor, child support services may facilitate the suspension of the child support order or obligation if the child is residing with a caretaker, who is a natural person, and who has not requested child support services to provide services under this chapter. The obligor and the caretaker shall sign a notarized affidavit attesting to the conditions under this section, consent to the suspension of the support order or obligation, and submit the affidavit to child support services. Upon the receipt of public assistance benefits pursuant to chapter 239B, 249A, or a comparable law of another state or foreign country, by the child on whose behalf support is ordered, or upon application to child support services by either party or the caretaker, child support services may, within the time periods specified in this section, request the reinstatement of the accruing support order or obligation pursuant to this section.
  18.  The department may adopt all necessary and proper rules to administer and interpret this section.
2015 Acts, ch 110, §120, 123; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §864
Referred to in §252B.20

  
     
252B.21  Administrative seek employment orders.
  1.  For any support order being enforced by child support services, child support services may enter an ex parte order requiring the obligor to seek employment if employment of the obligor cannot be verified and if the obligor has failed to make support payments. Advance notice is not required prior to entering the ex parte order. The order shall be served upon the obligor by regular mail, with proof of service completed as provided in 
rule of civil procedure 1.442
. Child support services shall file a copy of the order with the clerk of the district court.
  2.  The order to seek employment shall contain directives, including all of the following:
  a.  That the obligor seek employment within a determinate amount of time.
  b.  That the obligor file with child support services on a weekly basis a report of at least five new attempts to find employment or of having found employment. The report shall include the names, addresses, and the telephone numbers of any employers or businesses with whom the obligor attempted to seek employment and the name of the individual contact to whom the obligor made application for employment or to whom an inquiry was directed.
  c.  That failure to comply with the notice is evidence of a willful failure to pay support under section 598.23A.
  d.  That the obligor shall provide child support services with verification of any reason for noncompliance with the order.
  e.  The duration of the order, not to exceed three months.
  3.  The department may establish additional criteria or requirements relating to seek employment orders by rule as necessary to implement this section.
93 Acts, ch 79, §26; 94 Acts, ch 1171, §19; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §865
Referred to in §252B.6A, 598.23A

  
     
252B.22  Liens — motor vehicle registration — task force.  Repealed by 2024 Acts, ch 1170, §368.

  
     
252B.23  Surcharge.
  1.  A surcharge shall be due and payable by the obligor on a support arrearage identified as difficult to collect and referred by child support services on or after January 1, 1998, to a collection entity under contract with child support services or other state entity. The amount of the surcharge shall be a percent of the amount of the support arrearage referred to the collection entity and shall be specified in the contract with the collection entity. For the purpose of this chapter, a “collection entity” includes but is not limited to a state agency, including the central collection unit of the department of revenue, or a private collection agency. Use of a collection entity is in addition to any other legal means by which support payments may be collected. Child support services shall continue to use other enforcement actions, as appropriate.
  2.  a.  Notice that a surcharge may be assessed on a support arrearage referred to a collection entity pursuant to this section shall be provided to an obligor in accordance with one of the following as applicable:
  (1)  In the order establishing or modifying the support obligation. Child support services or the district court shall include notice in any new or modified support order issued on or after July 1, 1997.
  (2)  Through notice sent by child support services by regular mail to the last known address of the support obligor.
  b.  The notice shall also advise that any appropriate information may be provided to a collection entity for purposes of administering and enforcing the surcharge.
  3.  Arrearages submitted for referral and surcharge pursuant to this section shall meet all of the following criteria:
  a.  The arrearages owed shall be based on a court or administrative order which establishes the support obligation.
  b.  The arrearage is due for a case in which child support services is providing services pursuant to this chapter and one for which the arrearage has been identified as difficult to collect by child support services.
  c.  The obligor was provided notice pursuant to subsection 2 at least fifteen days prior to sending the notice of referral pursuant to subsection 4.
  4.  Child support services shall send notice of referral to the obligor by regular mail to the obligor’s last known address, with proof of service completed according to 
rule of civil procedure 1.442
, at least thirty days prior to the date the arrearage is referred to the collection entity. The notice shall inform the obligor of all of the following:
  a.  The arrearage will be referred to a collection entity.
  b.  Upon referral, a surcharge is due and payable by the obligor.
  c.  The amount of the surcharge.
  d.  That the obligor may avoid referral by paying the amount of the arrearage to the collection services center within twenty days of the date of notice of referral.
  e.  That the obligor may contest the referral by submitting a written request for review of child support services. The request shall be received by child support services within twenty days of the date of the notice of referral.
  f.  The right to contest the referral is limited to a mistake of fact, which includes a mistake in the identity of the obligor, a mistake as to fulfillment of the requirements for referral under this subsection, or a mistake in the amount of the arrearages.
  g.  Child support services shall issue a written decision following a requested review.
  h.  Following the issuance of a written decision by child support services denying that a mistake of fact exists, the obligor may request a hearing to challenge the surcharge by sending a written request for a hearing to child support services. The request shall be received by child support services within ten days of child support services’ written decision. The only grounds for a hearing shall be mistake of fact. Following receipt of the written request, child support services shall certify the matter for hearing in the district court in the county in which the underlying support order is filed.
  i.  The address of the collection services center for payment of the arrearages.
  5.  If the obligor pays the amount of arrearage within twenty days of the date of the notice of referral, referral of the arrearage to a collection entity shall not be made.
  6.  If the obligor requests a review or court hearing pursuant to this section, referral of the arrearages shall be stayed pending the decision of child support services or the court.
  7.  Actions of child support services under this section shall not be subject to contested case proceedings or further review pursuant to chapter 17A and any resulting court hearing shall be an original hearing before the district court. However, the department shall establish, by rule pursuant to chapter 17A, an internal process to provide an additional review by the director or the director’s designee.
  8.  If an obligor does not pay the amount of the arrearage, does not contest the referral, or if following child support services’ review and any court hearing child support services or the court does not find a mistake of fact, the arrearages shall be referred to a collection entity. Following the review or hearing, if child support services or the court finds a mistake in the amount of the arrearage, the arrearages shall be referred to the collection entity in the appropriate arrearage amount. For arrearages referred to a collection entity, the obligor shall pay a surcharge equal to a percent of the amount of the support arrearage due as of the date of the referral. The surcharge is in addition to the arrearages and any other fees or charges owed, and shall be enforced by the collection entity as provided under section 252B.5. Upon referral to the collection entity, the surcharge is an automatic judgment against the obligor.
  9.  The director or the director’s designee may file a notice of the surcharge with the clerk of the district court in the county in which the underlying support order is filed. Upon filing, the clerk shall enter the amount of the surcharge on the lien index and judgment docket.
  10.  Following referral of a support arrearage to a collection entity, the surcharge shall be due and owing and enforceable by a collection entity or child support services notwithstanding satisfaction of the support obligation or whether the collection entity is enforcing a support arrearage. However, child support services may waive payment of all or a portion of the surcharge if waiver will facilitate the collection of the support arrearage.
  11.  All surcharge payments shall be received and disbursed by the collection services center. The surcharge payments received by the collection services center shall be considered appropriated receipts as defined in section 8.2 and shall be used to pay the costs of any contracts with a collection entity.
  12.  a.  A payment received by the collection services center which meets all the following conditions shall be allocated as specified in paragraph “b”:
  (1)  The payment is for a case in which arrearages have been referred to a collection entity.
  (2)  A surcharge is assessed on the arrearages.
  (3)  The payment is collected under the provisions of the contract with the collection entity.
  b.  A payment meeting all of the conditions in paragraph “a” shall be allocated between support and costs and fees, and the surcharge according to the following formula:
  (1)  The payment shall be divided by the sum of one hundred percent plus the percent specified in the contract.
  (2)  The quotient shall be the amount allocated to the support arrearage and other fees and costs.
  (3)  The difference between the dividend and the quotient shall be the amount allocated to the surcharge.
  13.  Any computer or software programs developed and any records used in relation to a contract with a collection entity remain the property of the department.
97 Acts, ch 175, §244; 2003 Acts, ch 145, §286; 2005 Acts, ch 175, §119; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §867; 2024 Acts, ch 1185, §161
Referred to in §252B.9, 252B.13A

  
     
252B.24  State case registry.
  1.  Child support services shall operate a state case registry to the extent determined by applicable time frames and other provisions of 42 U.S.C. §654a(e) and this section. Child support services and the judicial branch shall enter into a cooperative agreement for the establishment and operation of the registry by child support services. The state case registry shall include records with respect to all of the following:
  a.  Unless prohibited by federal law, each case for which services are provided under this chapter.
  b.  Each order for support, as defined in section 252D.16 or 598.1, which meets at least one of the following criteria:
  (1)  The support order is established or modified in this state on or after October 1, 1998.
  (2)  The income of the obligor is subject to income withholding under chapter 252D, including any support order for which the district court enters an ex parte order under chapter 252D on or after October 1, 1998.
  2.  The clerk of the district court shall provide child support services with any information, orders, or documents requested by child support services to establish or operate the state case registry, which are specified in the agreement described in subsection 1, within the time frames specified in that agreement. The agreement shall include but is not limited to provisions to provide for all of the following:
  a.  Provision to child support services of information, orders, and documents necessary for child support services to meet requirements described in 42 U.S.C. §654a(e) and this section.
  b.  Provision to child support services of information filed with the clerk of the district court by a party under section 598.22B, and the social security number of a child filed with the clerk of the district court under section 602.6111.
  c.  Use of automation, as appropriate, to meet the requirements described in 42 U.S.C. §654a(e) and this section.
  3.  The records of the state case registry are confidential records pursuant to chapter 22 and may only be disclosed or used as provided in section 252B.9.
98 Acts, ch 1047, §68; 98 Acts, ch 1170, §15; 2014 Acts, ch 1026, §58, 59; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §868
Referred to in §252B.13A, 598.22B, 602.8102(47B)

     
252B.25  Contempt — combining actions.
  Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, if an obligor has been ordered to provide support in more than one order, child support services may bring a single action for contempt to enforce the multiple orders. However, if the obligor objects to the consolidation of the actions regarding multiple orders into a single action for contempt, and the court determines that severance of the single action into multiple actions is in the interest of justice, child support services shall bring multiple actions for contempt to enforce the multiple orders. If the single action is brought and the obligor does not object, child support services shall file the action in the district court of a county where the obligor resides, or if the obligor does not reside in the state, in the district court of the county where at least one of the support orders was entered or registered. For the purposes of this section, the district court where child support services files the action shall have jurisdiction and authority over all other support orders for the obligor entered or registered by a court of this state and affected under this section. In such case, child support services shall also file a document with the clerk of court in each county affected specifying the county where the action under this section was filed and the disposition of the action.
2005 Acts, ch 112, §6; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §869

  
     
252B.26  Service of process.
  Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, child support services may serve a petition, notice, or rule to show cause under this chapter or chapter 252A, 252C, 252F, 252H, 252K, 598, or 665 as specified in each chapter, or as follows:
  1.  Child support services may serve a petition, notice, or rule to show cause by certified mail. Return acknowledgment is required to prove service by certified mail, 
rules of civil procedure 1.303(5)
 and 
1.308(5)
 shall not apply, and the return acknowledgment shall be filed with the clerk of court.
  2.  Child support services may serve a notice of intent under chapter 252H, or a notice of decision under section 252H.14A, upon any party or parent who is receiving family investment program assistance for the parent or child by sending the notice by regular mail to the address maintained by the department. 
Rules of civil procedure 1.303(5)
 and 
1.308(5)
 shall not apply and child support services shall file proof of service as provided in chapter 252H. If the notice is determined to be undeliverable, child support services shall serve the notice as otherwise provided in this section or by personal service.
2005 Acts, ch 112, §7; 2007 Acts, ch 218, §142, 156; 2015 Acts, ch 110, §121, 123; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §870
Referred to in §252A.18, 252B.20A, 252H.14A

  
     
252B.27  Use of funding for additional positions.
  1.  The director, within the limitations of the amount appropriated for child support services, or moneys transferred for this purpose from the appropriation to the department for community access and eligibility, may establish new positions and add employees to child support services if the director determines that both the current and additional employees together can reasonably be expected to maintain or increase net state revenue at or beyond the budgeted level for the fiscal year.
  2.  a.  The director may establish new positions and add state employees to child support services or contract for delivery of services if the director determines the employees are necessary to replace county-funded positions eliminated due to termination, reduction, or nonrenewal of a chapter 28E contract. However, the director must also determine that the resulting increase in the state share of child support services incentives exceeds the cost of the positions or contract, the positions or contract are necessary to ensure continued federal funding of child support services, or the new positions or contract can reasonably be expected to recover at least twice the amount of money necessary to pay the salaries and support for the new positions or the contract will generate at least two hundred percent of the cost of the contract.
  b.  Employees in full-time positions that transition from county government to state government employment under this subsection are exempt from testing, selection, and appointment provisions of chapter 8A, subchapter IV, and from the provisions of collective bargaining agreements relating to the filling of vacant positions.
2005 Acts, ch 175, §120; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §871; 2024 Acts, ch 1157, §55
Collective bargaining, see chapter 20