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STATE OF IOWA
KIM REYNOLDS
GOVERNOR
May 15, 2026
The Honorable Paul Pate
Secretary of State of Iowa
State Capitol
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
Dear Mr. Secretary,
I hereby transmit:
Senate File 542, an Act relating to the suspension of child support and medical support in
certain circumstances.
The above Senate File is hereby approved on this date.
Sincerely.
Kim Reynolds
Governor of Iowa
cc: Secretary of the Senate
Clerk of the House
STATE CAPITOL DES MOINES, IOWA 50319 515.281.5211 WWW.GOVERNOR.IOWA.GOV
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Senate File 542
AN ACT
RELATING TO THE SUSPENSION OF CHILD SUPPORT AND MEDICAL SUPPORT
IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
Section 1. NEW SECTION . 598. 21H Suspension of child support
— child in need of assistance proceedings.
1. Subject to 28 U.S.C. §1738B, the court may enter an ex
parte order suspending a child support or medical support order
entered under chapter 234, 252A, 252C, 252F, 600B, or this
chapter if all of the following conditions are met:
a. A dispositional or permanency order in juvenile court,
pursuant to chapter 232, places the custody or physical care
of a child with a person who is obligated to pay support for
the child pursuant to an order entered under chapter 234, 252A,
252C, 252F, 600B, or this chapter.
b. The juvenile court files a notice of change of custody
pursuant to section 232.102, subsection 11, or section 232.104,
subsection 11.
Senate File 542, p. 2
c. The person obligated to pay support files an application
requesting a suspension of support in the case in which child
support is ordered. The application shall identify the county
and docket number of the juvenile court proceeding, and the
date of the dispositional or permanency order, that placed the
custody or physical care of the child with the person obligated
to pay support. An application filed by a person obligated to
pay support shall also include the names and current addresses
of the payor and payee, and shall attach a copy of the notice of
change of custody filed under section 232.102, subsection 11,
or section 232.104, subsection 11.
2. The order suspending support shall be effective on the
date the next support payment is due, and that payment is
suspended. Any party, or child support services, may file an
objection to the order suspending support within twenty-one
calendar days after the date the order is entered. The court
shall schedule a hearing on the objection not later than
fifteen calendar days after the date the objection is filed,
and provide notice of the hearing to the parties. Unless
otherwise ordered by the court, the ex parte order shall become
final and terminate the support obligation sixty calendar days
following the date the juvenile court proceeding terminates.
3. The court may enter an ex parte order terminating a
suspension ordered under subsection 1 if all of the following
conditions are met:
a. The juvenile court returns the custody or physical care
of the child to the person who was previously entitled to
receive support for the child.
b. The juvenile court files a notice of change of custody
pursuant to section 232.101, subsection 11, or section 232.104,
subsection 11, to acknowledge the change of a child's custody
back to the person previously entitled to receive support for
the child.
c. The person who was previously entitled to receive support
for the child, or child support services, files an application
in the case in which the support was ordered, and then
suspended, to request that the suspension be terminated. The
application shall identify the county and docket number of the
juvenile court proceeding, and the date of the dispositional
Senate File 542, p. 3
or permanency order, that returned custody or physical care of
the child to the person who was previously entitled to receive
support for the child. An application filed by a person who
was previously entitled to receive support for a child shall
also include the names and current address of the payor and
payee, and shall attach a copy of the notice of change of
custody filed under section 232.102, subsection 11, or section
232.104, subsection 11, acknowledging the change of a child's
custody back to the person previously entitled to receive
support for the child.
4. An order terminating the suspension of support shall be
effective on the date the next support payment would be due
pursuant to the original support order, and the suspension
of that payment is terminated. Any party, or child support
services, may file an objection to the order ending the
suspension of support within twenty-one calendar days of the
date the order is entered. The court shall schedule a hearing
on the objection not later than fifteen calendar days after the
date the objection is filed, and provide notice of the hearing
to the parties.
5. A court shall waive any court costs or filing fee for an
application to suspend support, or an application to terminate
the suspension of support, filed under this section. The
supreme court shall prescribe standard forms for persons to
use under this section, and shall distribute the forms to the
clerks of the district court.
6. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, if
a juvenile court order placing custody or physical care of a
child is being used as the basis for an application or an ex
parte order under this section, the notice of change of custody
issued by the juvenile court pursuant to section 232.102,
subsection 11, or section 232.104, subsection 11, shall be
disclosed upon request to child support services without a
court order.
Sec. 2. Section 232.102, Code 2025, is amended by adding the
following new subsection:
NEW SÜBSECTION . 11. If, at the dispositional hearing,
the court transfers the custody or physical care of a child
to a person who is ordered to pay support for the child, the
Senate File 542, p. 4
juvenile court shall, upon request of the person ordered to pay
support, or the person owed support, file a notice of change of
custody so that the payor may request a suspension of support
under section 598. 21H, in the district court case where support
was ordered.
a. The notice shall include all of the following:
(1) The child's initials and year of birth. The notice
shall not include the child's full name.
(2) A notice that, pursuant to a dispositional order,
the court has transferred custody of the child, including
an identification of from whom custody of the child was
transferred and to whom custody of the child was transferred.
(3) A notice that the parties may request a suspension
of the current child support obligation pursuant to section
598. 21H.
b. If custody or physical care of the child is returned to
the person who was previously entitled to receive support for
the child, the court shall file a notice of change of custody
so that the person who was previously entitled to receive
support for the child, or child support services, may request
an end to a suspension of support under section 598. 21H.
Sec. 3. Section 232.104, Code 2025, is amended by adding the
following new subsection:
NEW SUBSECTION . 11. If, at the permanency hearing, the
court transfers the custody or physical care of a child to
a person who is ordered to pay support for the child, the
juvenile court shall, upon request of the person ordered to pay
support or the person owed support, file a notice of change of
custody so that the payor may request a suspension of support
under section 598.21H, in the district court case where support
was ordered.
a. The notice shall include all of the following:
(1) The child's initials and year of birth. The notice
shall not include the child's full name.
(2) A notice that, pursuant to a permanency order,
the court has transferred custody of the child, including
an identification of from whom custody of the child was
transferred and to whom custody of the child was transferred.
(3) A notice that the parties may request a suspension
Senate File 542, p. 5
of the current child support obligation pursuant to section
598. 21H.
b. If custody or physical care of the child is returned to
the person who was previously entitled to receive support for
the child, the court shall file a notice of change of custody
so that the person who was previously entitled to receive
support for the child, or child support services, may request
an end to a suspension of support under section 598.21JÎ.
AMY SINCLAIR PAT GRASSLEYy
President of the Senate Speaker of 4: he House
I hereby certify that this bill originated in the Senate and
is known as Senate File 542, Ninety-first General Assembly.
W. CHARLES SMITHSON
Approved 'M , 2026
Secretary of Senate
KIM REÏM^LDS V
Governor