§ 56-237 — Support collection, parent location and paternity

determination services. A. The Oklahoma Department of Human Services, hereinafter referred to as "Department", as the single state agency designated to administer a statewide plan for child support, is authorized, in accordance with Title IV, Part D, of the Federal Social Security Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C., Section 651 et seq., to provide child support services, parent location services, and paternity determination services to enable participation in programs established by federal law. B. The Department is authorized to: 1. Accept, transfer, and expend funds made available by the government of the United States, the State of Oklahoma, and public or private sources, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this section; 2. Adopt rules for child support services; 3. Initiate legal actions and appeal orders as necessary to implement the provisions of this section; 4. Enter into contracts or agreements necessary to administer this section; and 5. Require agencies and political subdivisions of this state, its counties and municipalities, persons, sole proprietorships, corporations, utilities, partnerships, associations, organizations, and other legal entities doing business in this state to provide information to the Child Support Enforcement Division to assist in locating individuals and in establishing and enforcing court orders. C. 1. An applicant for or recipient of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, hereinafter referred to as "recipient", shall be required to assign to the Department any rights to or support from any other person which the recipient may have or for a child for whom the recipient is applying or receiving assistance in accordance with federal regulations and state law. 2. When an order has been entered which provides for payment of child support and the obligee pursuant to the order relinquishes physical custody of the child to another custodian, without obtaining a modification of the order to change custody or to redirect the support to the new custodian, the relinquishment shall transfer the child support obligation pursuant to the order to the new custodian or the Department if services are being provided under the state child support plan as provided in this section. The transfer of the obligation shall terminate when the new custodian no longer has physical custody of the child, except for the amount of unpaid support still owing to the custodian or to the Department. 3. In all cases in which support services are being provided under the state child support plan as provided in this section, support payments shall be made by the obligor to the Department or its designee. If a court has ordered support payments to be made to the recipient or to the applicant, the Department may send a notice of the assignment or application to the obligor requiring that all support payments be made to the Division or its designee. The notice shall include: a. a statement that the assignment or application has been made, b. the style and number of the case in which support was ordered, c. a statement that all payments so ordered shall be made to the Department or its designee, and d. a statement that the earnings and income of the obligor are assigned for collection of support monies owed. 4. A notice to redirect the payments shall be sent to the obligor by regular mail with proof of mailing from the United States Postal Service. If, after notice of the redirection, the obligor does not make payments to the Department as provided in the notice, the payments shall not be credited to the amount owed. The obligor shall notify the Department of any change of address, the name and address of the current employer, and access to health insurance and other insurance policy information within thirty (30) days of any change. D. When the right to receive support has been assigned to the Child Support Enforcement Division or upon proper application by an obligor or by an individual not receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, the Division may petition the district court or the Office of Administrative Hearings: Child Support, an administrative court of the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, for an order: 1. Requiring the obligor to provide health insurance for the dependent children whenever it is available through employment or other group plan regardless of whether the obligor has insurance coverage available at that time or there has been a change of circumstances; 2. Establishing paternity; 3. Requiring medical support, child support, or other support; 4. Enforcing orders for paternity, medical support, child support, or other support; 5. Requiring that the obligor keep the Division informed of the name and address of the current employer of the obligor and of any health insurance or other insurance policy information of the obligor within thirty (30) days of any change; 6. Providing for collection and distribution of child support monies; and 7. Assisting in the location of absent parents and their assets, in cooperation with federal agencies, other agencies of this state and of other states, territories, and foreign nations requesting assistance with the enforcement of support orders entered in the United States and elsewhere. E. The Division may petition the district or administrative court to modify any order for support regardless of whether there has been a change of circumstances. F. A reasonable fee and costs may be assessed for services to individuals not receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families nor receiving any other services or programs funded by Title IV, Part A of the Federal Social Security Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C., Sections 602 through 619 pursuant to rules adopted by the Department. Any new or increased fee or cost provided by this subsection shall require approval by the Legislature. G. Child support payments made to the Division pursuant to this section shall be deposited in the Child Support Escrow Account for distribution as may be required by Section 235 of this title, or by 42 U.S.C., Section 651 et seq. Fees or reimbursements of costs collected by the Department shall be deposited in the Administration Fund of the Department and may be used and expended by the Department for the purposes of carrying out the provisions of this section. H. Except as otherwise authorized by law, all files and records concerning the assistance and services provided under this section or concerning a putative father of a child born out of wedlock are confidential. Release of information from the files and records shall be consistent with federal law and shall be restricted to purposes directly connected with the administration of the child support collection, paternity determination, parent location, or other public assistance programs. Information may be released to public officials under rules adopted by the Department, consistent with federal rules or regulations.

Legislative History

Added by Laws 1977, c. 170, § 1, emerg. eff. June 3, 1977. Amended by Laws 1986, c. 176, § 5, emerg. eff. May 15, 1986; Laws 1987, c. 230, § 18, eff. Oct. 1, 1987; Laws 1990, c. 309, § 13, eff. Sept. 1, 1990; Laws 1992, c. 153, § 2, emerg. eff. April 30, 1992; Laws 1994, c. 356, § 19, eff. Sept. 1, 1994; Laws 1997, c. 402, § 19, eff. July 1, 1997; Laws 1998, c. 323, § 15, eff. Oct. 1, 1998; Laws 2000, c. 384, § 9, eff. Nov. 1, 2000; Laws 2006, c. 219, § 2; Laws 2007, c. 140, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2007; Laws 2018, c. 283, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2018.