Read the full stored bill text
HOUSE BILL 26-1217
BYREPRESENTATIVE(S)EspenozaandBradley,Carter,Luck,DeGraaf,
Garcia Sander, Hamrick, Phillips;
also SENATOR(S) Rich and Ball, Exum, Coleman.
CONCERNING CORRECTING CROSS REFERENCES IN THE CHILD SUPPORT
GUIDELINES.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 14-10-115, amend as
they will become effective March 1, 2026, (7)(a)(V)(B), (7)(a)(V)(C),
(7)(a)(VI), (8)(a), and (8)(b) as follows:
14-10-115. Child support guidelines -purpose -determination
of income -schedule of basic child support obligations -adjustments to
basic child support -additional guidelines -child support commission
-definitions.
(7) Schedule of basic child support obligations.
(a) (V) (B) If the resulting difference calculated pursuant to
subsection (7)(a)(V)(A) of this section is less than the reduced low-income
Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material added to existing law; dashes
through words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law and such material is not part of
the act.
adjustment calculated pursuant to subsection (7)(a)(Ill)(A) SUBSECTION
(7)(a)(Ill)(B) of this section, the obligor's basic child support obligation is
equal to the reduced low-income adjustment.
(C) If the resulting difference calculated pursuant to subsection
(7)(a)(V)(A) of this section is more than the reduced low-income
adjustment calculated pursuant to subsection (7)(a)(Ill)(A) SUBSECTION
(7)(a)(Ill)(B) of this section but less than the schedule ofbasic child support
obligation, the obligor's basic child support obligation is equal to the
amount calculated pursuant to subsection (7)(a)(V)(A) of this section.
(VI) In addition to the adjustments described in this subsection
(7)(a), the obligor's child support amount must be further adjusted for
work-related and education-related child care costs, health insurance,
extraordinary medical expenses, and other extraordinary adjustments as
described in subsections (9), (10), (1 l)(a), (1 l)(b), and (l l)(c)(II)
(ll)(c)(lll) ofthis section.
(8) Computation of basic child support - shared overnight
parenting time -split physical care -stipulations -deviations -basis for
periodic updates.
(a) A total child support obligation is determined by adding each
parent's respective basic child support obligation, as determined through the
child support guidelines and schedule of basic child support obligations
specified in subsection (7) of this section, education and work-related net
child care costs, extraordinary medical expenses, and extraordinary
adjustments to the schedule of basic child support obligations, as described
in subsections (9), (10), (1 l)(a), (1 l)(b), and (l l)(c)(II) (ll)(c)(lll) of this
section. The parent receiving a child support payment is presumed to spend
the total child support obligation directly on the children. The parent paying
child support to the other parent owes the total child support obligation as
child support to the other parent minus any ordered payments included in
the calculations made directly on behalf of the children for education and
work-related net child care costs, extraordinary medical expenses, or
extraordinary adjustments to the schedule ofbasic child support obligations,
as described in subsections (9), (10), (1 l)(a), (l l)(b), and (l l)(c)(II)
(ll)(c)(lll) ofthis section.
(b) Shared overnight parenting time presumes that certain basic
PAGE 2-HOUSE BILL 26-1217
expenses for the children will be paid directly by the overnight parent;
therefore, expenses may be duplicated and an adjustment for shared
parenting time is necessary. The shared parenting time adjustment is
calculated by identifying the parenting time credit percentage listed in the
parenting time table in subsection (8)(h) of this section based upon the
number of overnights for each parent. The parenting time credit is the total
basic child support obligation multiplied by that parent's parenting time
credit percentage. The shared parenting adjustment is deducted from each
parent's share of the basic child support obligation, which is in addition to
each parent's proportionate share of education and work-related net child
care costs, extraordinary medical expenses, and extraordinary adjustments
to the schedule of basic child support obligations, as described in
subsections (9), (10), (1 l)(a), (1 l)(b), and (ll)(c)(II) (ll)(c)(///) of this
section. The parent owing the greater amount of child support owes the
difference between the two amounts as a child support order minus any
ordered direct payments made on behalf of the children for education and
work-related net child care costs, extraordinary medical expenses, or
extraordinary adjustments to the schedule ofbasic child support obligations,
as described in subsections (9), (10), (l l)(a), (l l)(b), and (ll)(c)(II)
(l l)(c)(/I/) of this section. The amount of child support ordered to be paid
must not exceed the amount owed by that same parent if the parent had no
overnights. For purposes of calculating overnights when two or more
children are included in the child support worksheet calculation and the
parties have a different number of overnights with each of the two or more
children, the number of overnights is determined by adding the number of
overnights for each child and dividing the resulting number by the number
of children included in the child support worksheet calculation.
SECTION 2. Safety clause. The general assembly finds,
determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for
PAGE 3-HOUSE BILL 26-1217
the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state
institutions.
J52tifif)~
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
OF REPRESENTATIVES
Vanessa Reilly
CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE
OF REPRESENTATIVES
Jared S. Polis
GOVERNO
PAGE 4-HOUSE BILL 26-1217
James Rashad Coleman, Sr.
PRESIDENT OF
THE SENATE
iJaJh~
Esther van Mourik
SECRETARY OF
THE SENATE