454.530. Family support payment center established by the division for child support orders--disbursement of child support--business day, defined--electronic funds transfer system.
Family support payment center established by the division for childsupport orders--disbursement of child support--business day,defined--electronic funds transfer system.
454.530. 1. On or before October 1, 1999, the division of childsupport enforcement shall establish and operate a state disbursement unitto be known as the "Family Support Payment Center" for the receipt anddisbursement of payments pursuant to support orders for:
(1) All cases enforced by the division pursuant to section 454.400;and
(2) Any case required by federal law to be collected or disbursed bythe payment center including, but not limited to, cases in which a supportorder is initially issued on or after January 1, 1994, in which the incomeof the obligor is subject to withholding; and
(3) Beginning July 1, 2001:
(a) Any other case with a support order in which payments are orderedor directed by a court or the division to be made to the payment center orin which the income of the obligor is subject to withholding; and
(b) Any case prior to July 1, 2001, in which support payments areordered paid to the clerk of the court as trustee pursuant to section452.345, RSMo.
2. The family support payment center shall be operated by thedivision, in conjunction with other state agencies pursuant to acooperative agreement, or by a contractor responsible directly to thedivision. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary,after notice by the division or the court that issued the support order tothe obligor that all future payments shall be made to the payment center,the payment center shall become trustee for payments made by parents,employers, states and other entities, and all future payments shall be madeto the payment center. The payment center shall disburse payments tocustodial parents and other obligees, the state or agencies of otherstates. If the payment center is operated by a contractor and thecontractor receives and disburses the payments, the contractor shall havean annual audit conducted by an independent certified public accountant.The audit will determine whether funds received are disbursed or otherwiseaccounted for, and make recommendations as to the procedures and changesthat the contractor should take to protect the funds received frommisappropriation and theft. A copy of the audit shall be delivered to thedivision, the office of administration and the office of the state courtsadministrator.
3. Except as otherwise provided in sections 454.530 to 454.560, thepayment center shall disburse support payments within two business daysafter receipt from the employer or other source of periodic income, ifsufficient information identifying the payee is provided. As used insections 454.530 to 454.560, "business day" means a day state governmentoffices are open for regular business. Disbursement of payments madetoward arrearages may be delayed until the resolution of any timely appealwith respect to such arrearage or upon order of a court.
4. The family support payment center shall establish an electronicfunds transfer system for the transfer of child support payments. Obligeeswho want electronic transfer of support payments to a designated accountshall complete an application for direct deposit and submit it to thefamily support payment center. The family support payment center may issuean electronic access card for the purpose of disbursing support payments toany obligee not using automated deposit to a designated account. Anyperson or employer may, without penalty, choose to disburse payments to thepayment center by check or draft instead of by electronic transfer.
(L. 1997 S.B. 361, A.L. 1999 S.B. 291, A.L. 2006 S.B. 618)