HOUSE BILL NO. 546
INTRODUCED BY D. GALLIK
A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT CLARIFYING AND REVISING THE TESTS FOR MODIFICATION OF MAINTENANCE AND CHILD SUPPORT DECREES; AND AMENDING SECTION 40-4-208, MCA."
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
Section 1. Section 40-4-208, MCA, is amended to read:
"40-4-208. Modification and termination of provisions for maintenance, support, and property disposition. (1) Except as otherwise provided in 40-4-201(6), a decree may be modified by a court as to maintenance or support only as to installments accruing subsequent to actual notice to the parties of the motion for modification.
(2) (a) Except as provided in 40-4-251 through 40-4-258, whenever the decree proposed for modification does not contain provisions relating to maintenance or support, modification under subsection (1) may only be made within 2 years of the date of the decree.
(b) Except as provided in 40-4-251 through 40-4-258, whenever If the decree proposed for modification contains
provisions relating to maintenance or child support, modification under subsection (1) may only be made:
(i) upon a showing of changed circumstances so substantial and continuing as to make the terms unconscionable a
substantial change in circumstances of the child or a parent;
(ii) upon written consent of the parties; or
(iii) upon application by the department of public health and human services, whenever if the department of public
health and human services is providing services under Title IV-D of the federal Social Security Act. The support obligation
must be modified, as appropriate, in accordance with the guidelines promulgated under 40-5-209. Except as provided in
40-4-251 through 40-4-258, a modification under this subsection may not be made within 12 months after the establishment
of the order or the most recent modification.
(c) The nonexistence of a medical support order, as defined in 40-5-804, or a violation of a medical support order justifies an immediate modification of child support in order to:
(i) provide for the actual or anticipated costs of the child's medical care;
(ii) provide or maintain a health benefit plan or individual health insurance coverage for the child; or
(iii) eliminate any credit for a medical support obligation when it has been permitted or used as a credit in the determination of the child support obligation.
(d) Except as provided in 40-4-251 through 40-4-258, if the decree proposed for modification contains provisions relating to maintenance, modification under subsection (1) may only be made:
(i) upon a showing of changed circumstances so substantial and continuing as to make the terms unconscionable;
(ii) upon written consent of the parties; or
(iii) upon application by the department of public health and human services if the department of public health and human services is providing services under Title IV-D of the federal Social Security Act. Except as provided in 40-4-251 through 40-4-258, a modification under this subsection (2)(d) may not be made within 12 months after the establishment of the order or the most recent modification.
(3) The provisions as to property disposition may not be revoked or modified by a court except:
(a) upon written consent of the parties; or
(b) if the court finds the existence of conditions that justify the reopening of a judgment under the laws of this state.
(4) Unless otherwise agreed in writing or expressly provided in the decree, the obligation to pay future maintenance is terminated upon the death of either party or the remarriage of the party receiving maintenance.
(5) Provisions for the support of a child are terminated by emancipation of the child or the child's graduation from high school if the child is enrolled in high school, whichever occurs later, but in no event later than the child's 19th birthday, unless the termination date is extended or knowingly waived by written agreement or by an express provision of the decree. Provisions for the support of a child do not terminate upon the death of a parent obligated to support the child. When a parent obligated to pay support dies, the amount of support may be modified, revoked, or commuted to a lump-sum payment, to the extent just and appropriate in the circumstances.
(6) The decree may be modified, as provided in 40-4-251 through 40-4-258, for failure to disclose assets and liabilities."
- END -
Latest Version of HB 546 (HB0546.01)
Processed for the Web on February 10, 2001 (11:46AM)
New language in a bill appears underlined, deleted material appears stricken.
Sponsor names are handwritten on introduced bills, hence do not appear on the bill until it is reprinted. See the status of this bill for the bill's primary sponsor.
Status of this Bill | 2001 Legislature | Leg. Branch Home
All versions of this bill (PDF Format)
Authorized print version w/line numbers (PDF format)
(406)444-3064