Title 15, Title 15 Relations

(a) A child support obligation or reimbursement order which is enforceable by the department of administration, division of taxation, child support enforcement, in accordance with Title IV Part D of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 651 et seq., and which is unpaid in whole or…

(a)(1) Notice. When the department of administration, division of taxation, child support enforcement, determines that child support is unpaid, it shall send written notice of intent to lien to the obligor by first class mail at his or her most recent address of record. (2) The n…

(a) To perfect a lien with respect to real property, the department shall file a notice of lien with the recorder of deeds for the city or town in which the property is located. The recorder of deeds shall index the notice of intent under the name of the obligor in the grantors i…

(a) In any case where the department has perfected a lien pursuant to § 15-21-4, the department may collect unpaid child support and levy upon all property as provided in this section. The department shall have the authority to issue an administrative notice of levy or administra…

(a) Any person in possession of, or obligated with respect to, personal property who upon demand by the department surrenders the property or discharges the obligation to the department, or who pays a liability under this section, shall be discharged from any obligation or liabil…

(a) If the department has perfected a lien on real property in accordance with § 15-21-4, then it shall be lawful for the department or its assigns to sell the real property of any defaulting obligor and the benefit and equity of redemption of the defaulting obligor and his or he…

(a) In any case where there has been a refusal or neglect to pay any child support or to discharge any liability in respect to child support, whether or not a levy has been made, the department, in addition to other modes of relief, may file an action in the family court. (b) The…

At the time of perfecting a lien, executing a levy, or seizing any property, the department shall send written notice to the obligor by first class mail of the action taken. [See § 12-1-15 of the General Laws.]

(a) The department of human services, office of child support services, and/or any other state or federal agency taking action to establish paternity, establish or modify child support and/or medical orders, enforce child support and/or medical orders, or to locate an individual …

The department of administration, division of taxation, shall enter into cooperative agreements with financial institutions further defined as any bank, savings association, federal or state credit union, benefit association, insurance company, safe deposit company, money-market …

(a) The department of administration, division of taxation, and any other state or federal agency taking action to establish paternity, establish or modify child support or medical orders, enforce child support orders or location of individuals for the above, shall be authorized …

(a)(1) Personal data collected and maintained by the agency created pursuant to title IV, part D of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 651 et seq., (subsequently referred to as the IV-D agency) shall not be a public record and access to this data shall be available only to empl…

(a) A person or agency, including the IV-D agency, seeking personal data which the IV-D agency is prohibited from disclosing because of a history of domestic violence but which could otherwise be disclosed pursuant to § 15-22-1(a), or which the Federal Parent Locator Service esta…

The purpose of this chapter is to enhance the enforcement of support obligations by requiring employers to report all new hires or rehires effective October 1, 1997, by establishing a state directory of new hires to be reported to a national directory of new hires, to establish p…

(a) On or before the effective date of employment, a new employee must complete a W-4 form as is required by both Rhode Island and federal law, § 3402(f)(2)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. § 3402(f)(2)(A). (b) Within fourteen (14) days of the employee’s effective date …

As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) “Compensation” means payment owed by the employer for: (i) Labor or services rendered by an employee; or (ii) Benefits including, but not limited to, vacation, holiday, and sick leave, and severance payments whic…

On or before the effective date of employment, an employee must complete the sections of the W-4 form pertaining to the employee’s name, address, date of birth, social security number, signature and date of signing, and submit the form to his or her employer. If an employee is be…

(a) Beginning October 1, 1997, an employer who hires or rehires an employee on or after October 1, 1997, must report the hiring or rehiring of the employee to the department or its designee not later than fourteen (14) days after hire or rehire if reporting on a W-4 or its equiva…

Within two (2) business days after the date information regarding a newly-hired employee is entered into the state directory of new hires, the department shall forward a wage withholding order to the employer unless the employee’s income is not subject to withholding pursuant to …

Any employer who fails to report as required under this section may be liable for a civil penalty of twenty dollars ($20.00) for each violation, to be assessed by the department, and shall be required to provide the information. If it is demonstrated that the employer conspired w…

Unauthorized disclosure of information caused by the department under these provisions, by any employee or agent of the state, is punishable by a fine of one hundred dollars ($100) per offense and is subject to administrative discipline of the employee.

The department must use information collected pursuant to this chapter to prevent tax evasion, fraud in financial assistance, benefits, or loan programs administrated by agencies including, but not limited to, the department of labor and training and the department of human servi…

(a) The department of administration, division of taxation, child support enforcement agency, designated as the state agency for purposes of providing consumer reporting agencies with information regarding the amount of overdue support owed by an obligor, is authorized to promulg…

The department of administration, division of taxation, child support enforcement agency, is authorized to request consumer reports provided the agency certifies to the credit reporting agency in writing the following: (1) The consumer credit report is needed for the purpose of e…

The purpose of this chapter is to establish and operate a centralized state collection and disbursement unit within the department of administration, division of taxation, child support enforcement for the timely, automated collection and disbursement of support orders being enfo…

(a) The centralized state collection and disbursement unit shall be operated directly by the department of administration, division of taxation or its designee and in coordination with the automated system. (b) The centralized state collection and disbursement unit shall use the …

(a) The department of administration, division of taxation, child support enforcement or its designee shall distribute all amounts payable within two (2) business days after receipt from the employer or other source of periodic income if sufficient information identifying the pay…

In cases in which support is assigned to the state pursuant to § 40-6-9 and where there is an existing child support order made payable to the obligee, after notice to the obligor and obligee, the state collection and disbursement unit and/or any other state or federal agency tak…

The purpose of this chapter is to ensure that any and all administrative procedures available to the department of administration, division of taxation, child support enforcement under title 15, including, but not limited to, the ability to order genetic testing as provided in ch…

Any entity or individual who, without reasonable cause, fails to reply to a request pursuant to this chapter or who, without reasonable cause, fails to comply with a request within twenty (20) days of receipt shall be liable for a civil penalty of one hundred dollars ($100) for e…

The purpose of this chapter is to set forth procedures to enforce health care coverage provisions obtained pursuant to § 15-5-16.2(d)(2) through the use of the National Medical Support Notice, subsequently referred to as the “medical notice.” However, the medical notice is not to…

(a) The following individuals or entities are eligible to file claims under the health care coverage plan: (1) A child covered by the medical order; (2) The child’s custodial parent or legal guardian; (3) The provider of services to the child(ren); or (4) A state agency to which …

For purposes of this chapter, with respect to all medical orders issued, enforced or modified in title IV-D of the Social Security Act, cases on or after October 1, 2002, in accordance with § 15-5-16.2.5 (repealed effective October 1, 2002), the medical notice, which is a qualifi…

(a) The medical notice shall instruct the employer into which health care plans the children shall be enrolled and include all identifying information of the child support case. The medical notice shall comply in all respects with federal requirements. (b) The employer must respo…

(a) The employer may not withhold more under the medical notice than the lesser of: (1) The amounts allowed by the Federal Consumer Credit Protection Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1673(b); (2) The amounts allowed by the state of the employee’s principal place of employment; or (3) The amount …

An employer may be subject to a one hundred dollar ($100) fine or other penalties under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, of 1974, 29 U.S.C. § 1001 et seq., for discharging an employee from employment, refusing to employ, or taking disciplinary action against any emplo…

In any case in which the above employment terminates, the employer must promptly notify the division of taxation, child support enforcement agency of the termination within ten (10) days.

The employee is liable for any employee contributions that are required under the health care coverage plan for enrollment of the child(ren) and is subject to appropriate enforcement. The employee may contest the withholding under the medical notice based upon a mistake of fact. …

(a)(1) The medical notice shall be forwarded by the employer to the plan administrator. The plan administrator is obligated to provide health care coverage of the child(ren) under the group health plan described in the medical notice within forty (40) business days of the date of…

(a) Enrollment of a child may not be denied for any of the following reasons: (1) The child(ren) was born out of wedlock; (2) The child is not claimed as a dependant on the participant’s federal income tax return; (3) The child does not reside with the participant or in the plan’…

(a) Whether acting on its own behalf or on behalf of the obligee, obligor, or child, the department of human services, office of child support services, and its attorneys serve the public interest in ensuring that children are supported by their parents. The department does not r…

The department may take action to establish paternity, establish, enforce and modify child support orders under the provisions of appropriate sections under title 15 and in accordance with title IV-D of the Social Security Act and other appropriate state and federal statutes if t…

(1) “Certificate of civil union” means a document that certifies that the persons named on the certificate have established a civil union in compliance with this chapter. (2) “Civil union” means a legal union between two individuals of the same sex established pursuant to this ch…

The department of health, office of vital statistics shall draft and distribute applications for civil unions to every town and city within the state.

If any part of this chapter or its application to any person or circumstance is adjudged invalid, the adjudication or application shall not affect the validity of this act as a whole or any other part.

(a) On and after the effective date of this section, two (2) persons who are parties to a civil union entered into pursuant to this chapter may apply for and be issued a marriage license and have such marriage solemnized pursuant to chapters 15-1 to 15-3 of the general laws, prov…