CS/CS/HB 231 - Family Law Summary

• Revises alimony calculation requirements by eliminating permanent alimony and replacing it with bridge-the-gap, rehabilitative, or durational alimony based on marriage length (short-term ≤12 years, mid-term 13-19 years, long-term ≥20 years).

• Establishes rebuttable presumptions and income caps for alimony awards: short-term marriages (presumption against alimony, max 20% of obligor's net income), mid-term marriages (no presumption, max 30%), long-term marriages (presumption in favor, max 33%).

• Requires written court findings for all alimony determinations and allows automatic termination without further action upon death, obligor's social security retirement age, or durational limits specified in the award.

• Creates presumption favoring equal time-sharing for minor children unless court finds safety concerns, domestic violence, incarceration, distance, or lack of parental request for equal sharing.

• Applies retroactively to alimony awards made before July 1, 2013, with phased modification filing schedules based on award length (beginning July 1, 2013-2015).