WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

S 1051

Allows tenants to appeal judgments or orders issued against them without first being required to pay any portion of such judgment or order

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Rachel May

The bill standardizes and restricts license suspensions for child support by codifying a narrow “good cause” standard into law and repealing related administrative rules.

REFERRED TO JUDICIARY
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · S 1051

Summary — S 1051 (Session Law Chapter 126)

Family Law — Good Cause Determination in License Suspension Proceedings; Repeal of Certain Child Support Rules

Main purpose

S 1051 adds a statutory “good cause” standard for denial or stay of motor vehicle, occupational, and recreational license suspensions in child support enforcement proceedings, and repeals specific administrative rules (IDAPA 16.03.03, Section 302 and Appendix A) relating to Child Support Services by making them null and void. The act codifies a prior administrative rule into Idaho law.

Key provisions

  • Adds new Section 7-1406A to Chapter 14, Title 7, Idaho Code, establishing what constitutes “good cause” in license-suspension proceedings for child support enforcement:
    • Motor vehicle or occupational license suspensions must be denied or stayed if the obligor proves one or more of the following:
    • Declared physically disabled by SSA, Idaho Industrial Commission, or another competent authority where the disability directly causes inability to pay;
    • Extended illness or accident directly causing inability to pay;
    • Student status resulting from referral by Idaho vocational rehabilitation, Idaho Industrial Commission, or similar authority;
    • Incarcerated in county/state/federal facility and has no assets;
    • Receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI);
    • Has court-ordered physical custody of all children listed in the support order;
    • Child support is being collected via income withholding from the obligor’s employer or other income source.
    • Recreational license suspensions must be stayed (not necessarily denied) if the obligor proves either:
    • Receiving SSI; or
    • Court-ordered physical custody of all children listed in the order.
  • The statute expressly disallows any other conditions from constituting good cause. It lists several examples that do NOT qualify (unemployment/underemployment, claiming disability but not applying or being denied benefits, assertions that the support amount is too high, visitation disputes, or alleging misuse of support).
  • Section 2: IDAPA 16.03.03 (Child Support Services), Section 302 and Appendix A, are declared null and void effective the act’s effective date.
  • Section 3: Emergency declared; full force and effect on July 1, 2025.

Who is affected

  • Obligor parents subject to child support enforcement via license suspension (motor vehicle, occupational, recreational).
  • Child Support Services (Idaho Department of Health & Welfare) and enforcement agencies that issue suspensions or process good-cause determinations.
  • Employers and income payors (via income withholding orders).
  • Individuals with disabilities, incarcerated obligors, students referred by vocational rehabilitation, and custodial parents—because the statute creates explicit protections or standards for these groups.

Fiscal and procedural notes

  • Fiscal note: No additional state, local, or federal expenditures or revenue; anticipated savings only from ceasing rule publication (noted as $61.00 per page).
  • Legislative history highlights:
    • Introduced March 13, 2025; passed both chambers (Senate passage without amendment by Unanimous Consent); signed by the Governor March 19, 2025.
    • Effective date: July 1, 2025 (with the IDAPA repeal effective that date).
  • Sponsors listed in the document: James Lankford (primary) and Cory Booker (cosponsor).

Practical implications

By moving specified good-cause criteria into statute and invalidating the cited administrative rule, the law standardizes and limits the reasons an obligor can use to avoid or delay license suspension for nonpayment of child support. It provides explicit protections for certain disability, custody, incarceration, SSI, student-referral, and wage-withholding situations, while excluding broad economic or contested-dispute claims as qualifying good cause.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.