IowaCourts may pause support when a parent cares for a child
When a juvenile court places a child with the person ordered to pay support, that person may ask a district court to pause payments, with a possible restart if care returns.
What it does
A parent ordered to pay child or medical support may ask a district court to pause payments when a juvenile court places the child in that parent’s care. The person previously owed support, or child support services, may later ask to restart payments if care returns.
Courts must waive fees for applications to pause or restart support. Juvenile courts must file a custody-change notice when requested after transferring or returning a child’s care; it cannot include the child’s full name.
Argument forA parent caring for a child under a juvenile court order may ask to pause support payments, which could match payments to where the child lives.
Argument againstThe parent who was owed support could miss payments while a suspension lasts, including until 60 days after the juvenile case ends unless the court orders otherwise.
More detail
A district court may suspend or restart a child or medical support order. The orders must be under one of the Iowa laws listed in the act. The child must be placed with the person ordered to pay support, or later returned to the person previously owed support. To suspend support, the juvenile court must place the child with the person ordered to pay and file a custody-change notice; that person must apply in the support case. To end a suspension, the juvenile court must return the child to the person previously owed support and file a custody-change notice; that person or child support services must apply. Any party or child support services may object within 21 days after an order; the court must schedule a hearing within 15 days after an objection is filed. A suspension starts on the next payment due. Unless the court orders otherwise, it becomes final and ends the support obligation 60 days after the juvenile case ends. Restarting support takes effect on the next payment due under the original order.
Courts must waive application fees, and juvenile courts must file custody-change notices when requested. Notices cover custody or physical-care changes at juvenile court dispositional or permanency hearings when a person ordered to pay support, or a person owed support, requests one. The notice must use the child’s initials and birth year, not the child’s full name. The juvenile court must disclose the notice to child support services upon request, without a separate court order. A juvenile court files the notice upon request by the person ordered to pay support or the person owed support.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed 1st Chamber
- Passed 2nd Chamber
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- May 15Signed by Governor Kim Reynolds.Became Law
- May 5Reported correctly enrolled, signed by President and Speaker, and sent to Governor.To Governor
- May 2Explanation of vote.
- Apr 14Message from House.
- Apr 13Immediate message.
- Vote recorded Shall the bill pass? Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 13Passed House, yeas 90, nays 0.Passed 2nd Chamber
- Mar 26Placed on calendar under unfinished business.
- Mar 19Placed on calendar.
- Mar 18Committee vote: Yeas, 20. Nays, 0. Excused, 1.
- Mar 18Committee report, recommending passage.Minor
- Mar 11Subcommittee recommends passage.Minor
- Mar 10Subcommittee Meeting: 03/11/2026 8:15AM RM 304.
- Mar 10Subcommittee: Gustoff, Bagniewski and Holt.
- 2025
- May 15Rereferred to Judiciary.
- Apr 10Placed on calendar under unfinished business.
- Apr 2Placed on calendar.
- Apr 1Committee vote: Yeas, 21. Nays, 0.
- Apr 1Committee report, recommending passage.Minor
- Apr 1Subcommittee recommends passage.Minor
- Mar 31Subcommittee Meeting: 04/01/2025 8:00AM RM 304.1.
- Mar 28Subcommittee: Gustoff, Meyer, B. and Watkins.
- Mar 25Read first time, referred to Judiciary.Minor
- Vote recorded Shall the bill pass? Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 25Message from Senate.
- Mar 25Immediate message.
- Mar 25Passed Senate, yeas 49, nays 0.Passed 1st Chamber
- Mar 25Amendment S-3035 adopted.Major
- Mar 19Amendment S-3035 filed.Minor
- Mar 6Committee report, approving bill.Minor
- Mar 6Introduced, placed on calendar.Introduced
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