HB 1356 Summary

• Reduces the age at which parental child support obligations cease from 21 years old to 19 years old, effective July 1, 2010.

• Maintains exceptions to the support termination rule for emancipated children (support ends at emancipation except educational needs may continue) and incapacitated children (support continues during incapacity).

• Adds a new exception allowing termination of support for children age 18 or older who have not attended school for four months, are not enrolled in school, and are capable of self-support through employment.

• Allows courts to modify rather than terminate support if an 18+ year old child is only partially self-supporting.

• Clarifies that courts must find children emancipated if they have joined the armed services, married, or are not under parental or court-approved care or control.