CS/CS/HB 549 - Dissolution of Marriage

• Redesignates "permanent alimony" as "long-term alimony" and restricts its award to long-term marriages, moderate-term marriages with clear and convincing evidence, or short-term marriages with exceptional circumstances.

• Requires courts to make written findings on need, ability to pay, and specific factors when awarding alimony, and establishes that both parties will likely have lower standards of living after dissolution with a rebuttable presumption.

• Prohibits courts from reserving jurisdiction to reinstate alimony awards terminated due to supportive relationships and requires an obligor's income increase to be maintained for at least 1 year before being considered permanent for modification purposes.

• Establishes reaching reasonable retirement age as a substantial change in circumstances and allows obligors to seek alimony modification or termination upon retirement based on the obligor's age, health, work type, and normal retirement age for that profession.

• Allows separate adjudication of issues in dissolution cases after 180 days from service of petition, with mandatory final dissolution after 365 days unless irreparable harm shown, and requires temporary orders to protect parties and children when issues are reserved.