HB 270 Summary: Sam Knisley Family Support Act

• Requires felony offenders convicted of OVI-caused aggravated vehicular homicide (division A(1)(a) of section 2903.06) to pay child maintenance to surviving minor children of the victim until age 18.

• Court must determine reasonable and necessary child maintenance amounts based on child's financial needs, surviving parent's resources, standard of living, educational needs, custody arrangements, and work-related child care expenses.

• Allows child maintenance to be awarded in wrongful death civil actions when the offender is deceased, with payments made from the defendant's estate through the clerk of courts to the surviving parent or guardian.

• Offender must begin child maintenance payments within one year of release from incarceration and may enter a payment plan; payments continue until full arrearage is paid if child maintenance obligations extend beyond the child's 18th birthday.

• Allows offset of criminal child maintenance orders if a prior civil judgment covering child maintenance costs has been obtained, and vice versa.