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AB-1643 • 2026

Child support.

Child support.

Children Education
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Nguyen
Last action
2026-04-23
Official status
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (April 23).
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's effective date is unknown from the provided information.

Child Support Changes

This law changes how child support information is submitted and payments are handled in California, requiring parents to use a secure online system before court orders are made and directing all payments through the State Disbursement Unit.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires parents to submit personal information via a confidential electronic portal before filing for a child support order.
  • Directs all child support payments to go through the State Disbursement Unit.
  • Instructs courts to send copies of child support orders and contact details to local child support agencies.
  • Allows parents to opt out of certain state services if they choose.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Parents who need to establish or modify a child support order in California.
  • Local child support agencies that enforce child support orders.
  • Courts handling child support cases.

Terms To Know

Child Support Obligor
The parent required to pay child support.
State Disbursement Unit
A state agency that handles the collection and distribution of child support payments.

Limits and Unknowns

  • It's not clear when this law will start.
  • The bill might require local agencies to do more work, which could cost money.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-23 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (April 23).

  2. 2026-04-20 California Legislative Information

    Re-referred to Com. on HUM. S.

  3. 2026-04-16 California Legislative Information

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on HUM. S. Read second time and amended.

  4. 2026-04-14 California Legislative Information

    In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.

  5. 2026-03-24 California Legislative Information

    In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.

  6. 2026-03-10 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on HUM. S. (Ayes 9. Noes 1.) (March 10). Re-referred to Com. on HUM. S.

  7. 2026-02-17 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Coms. on JUD. and HUM. S.

  8. 2026-01-28 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be heard in committee February 27.

  9. 2026-01-27 California Legislative Information

    Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 1643, as amended, Nguyen.
Child support.
Existing federal law, Title IV-D of the Social Security Act, requires the state to establish a single state entity to administer the Title IV-D state plan for securing child support. Existing law designates the Department of Child Support Services as the state entity to administer laws and regulations related to child support enforcement obligations. Existing law requires that each county maintain a local child support agency that has numerous responsibilities relating to the establishment, modification, and enforcement of child support obligations.
Existing law authorizes the court, in any proceeding in which the court makes or has made a child support order, to direct that child support payments be made to a designated county officer or State Disbursement Unit, as specified, or to direct the local child support agency to appear on behalf of
the minor children to enforce the order, or both.
Existing law also requires a judgment for paternity and an order for child support entered or modified pursuant to any law to include a provision requiring the child support obligor and obligee to file with the court, within 10 days of the court order, and the child support registry specified personal information, including their residential and mailing address and social security number, and requires the Judicial Council to develop forms for this purpose.
This
bill would instead require a child support obligor and obligee to submit that specified personal information prior to filing the proposed judgment or order and to submit the information via a confidential electronic portal. The bill would require the Department of Child
Support Services to establish a confidential electronic portal for that purpose, and would require the portal to include information to inform the child support obligor and obligee about child support services authorized pursuant to Title IV-D of the Social Security Act, as specified. The
bill would
instead
require that all child support payments be directed to the State Disbursement
Unit
Unit,
and would authorize the court to direct the local child support agency to appear on behalf of the minor children to enforce the order. The bill would also require
that every court order for payment of child support be deemed to be an application for child support enforcement services authorized pursuant to Title IV-D of the Social Security Act, as specified. The bill would require the court to transmit a copy of the child support order and the contact information of the support obligor and support obligee to the local child support agency, as specified. The bill would specify that a support obligee may
the court to require every child support obligee to submit the previously described personal information, and would deem the submittal of that personal information to be an application for child support services authorized under Title IV-D of the federal Social Security Act. The bill would authorize a support obligee to
decline to receive the child support services described above
by submitting a specified form to their local child support agency
unless otherwise required to receive those services under state or federal law. To the extent these provisions increase the duties of local child support agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish
procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Current Bill Text

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