§ 56-203B — PAYMENT OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE FOR CHILD CONSTITUTES DEBT TO DEPARTMENT BY PARENTS — LIMITATIONS — DEPARTMENT SUBROGATED TO RIGHTS

Any payment of public assistance money made to or for the benefit of any dependent child or children creates a debt due or owing to the department by the parent or others who are responsible for support of such children in an amount equal to the support obligation as is subsequently determined by court order pursuant to the Idaho child support guidelines which debt arises at the end of the first month for which the payment of public assistance commences. If a judgment entered by the court under the Idaho child support guidelines is more than the public assistance expended, the amount in excess of the public assistance expended shall be payable to the custodial parent or caretaker. Provided, that where there has been a district court order, the debt shall be limited to the amount provided for by said order. The department shall have the right to petition the appropriate district court for modification of a district court order on the same grounds as a party to said cause. Where a child has been placed in foster care, and a written agreement for payment of support has been entered into by the responsible parent or parents and the department, the debt shall be limited to the amount provided for in said agreement. Provided, that if a court order for support is or has been entered, the provisions of said order shall prevail over the agreement.
The department shall be subrogated to the right of said child or children or person having the care, custody and control of said child or children to prosecute or maintain any support action existing under the laws of the state of Idaho to obtain reimbursement of moneys thus expended. If a district court order enters judgment for an amount of support to be paid by an obligor parent, the department shall be subrogated to the debt created by such order, and said money judgment shall be deemed to be in favor of the department. This subrogation shall specifically be applicable to temporary spouse support orders, family maintenance orders and alimony orders up to the amount paid by the department in public assistance moneys to or for the benefit of a dependent child or children but allocated to the benefit of said children on the basis of providing necessities for the caretaker of said children.
Debt under this section shall not be incurred by, nor at any time be collected from a parent or other person who would be or is eligible for or who is the recipient of public assistance moneys for the benefit of minor dependent children for the period such person or persons are in such status and the collection of the debt from such person would not be in the fiscal interest of the state or would not be in the best interest of the child(ren) for whom such person owes support.

Legislative History

[56-203B, as added by 1975, ch. 264, sec. 3, p. 712; am. 1994, ch. 289, sec. 1, p. 909; am. 1998, ch. 208, sec. 1, p. 736.]