244-c. Child support proceedings and enforcement of arrears; suspensions of state professional, occupational and business licenses. (a) In any proceeding for enforcement of a direction or agreement, incorporated in a judgement or order, to pay any sum of money as child support or combined child and spousal support, if the court is satisfied by competent proof that the respondent has accumulated support arrears equivalent to or greater than the amount of support due pursuant to such judgment or order for a period of four months and that the respondent is licensed, permitted or registered by or with a board, department, authority or office of this state to conduct a trade, business, profession or occupation, the court may order such board, department, authority or office to commence proceedings as required by law regarding the suspension of such license, permit, registration, or authority to practice and to inform the court of the actions it has taken pursuant to such proceedings. For purposes of determining whether a respondent has accumulated support arrears equivalent to or greater than the amount of support due for a period of four months, the amount of any retroactive support, other than periodic payments of retroactive support which are past due, shall not be included in the calculation of support arrears pursuant to this section.
(b) If the respondent, after receiving appropriate notice, fails to comply with a summons, subpoena or warrant relating to a paternity or child support proceeding, and the court has determined that the respondent is licensed, permitted or registered by or with a board, department, authority or office of this state or one of its political subdivisions or instrumentalities to conduct a trade, business, profession or occupation, the court may order such board, department, authority or office to commence proceedings as required by law regarding the suspension of such license, permit, registration or authority to practice and to inform the court of the actions it has taken pursuant to such proceeding. The court may subsequently order such board, department, authority or office to terminate the suspension of the respondent's license, permit, registration or authority to practice; however, the court shall order the termination of such suspension when the court is satisfied that the respondent has fully complied with all summons, subpoenas and warrants relating to a paternity or child support proceeding.
(c) If the court determines that the suspension of the license, permit or registration of the respondent would create an extreme hardship to either the licensee, permittee or registrant or to persons whom he or she serves, the court may, in lieu of suspension, suspend the order described in subdivision (a) of this section to the licensing entity for a period not to exceed one year. If, on or before the expiration of this period, the court has not received competent proof presented at hearing that the respondent is in full compliance with his or her support obligation, the court shall cause the suspension of the order to be rescinded and shall further cause such order to be served upon the licensing entity.
(d) The provisions of subdivision (a) of this section shall not apply to:
(i) respondents who are receiving public assistance or supplemental security income; or
(ii) respondents whose income as defined by subparagraph five of paragraph (b) of subdivision one-b of section two hundred forty of the domestic relations law falls below the self-support reserve as defined by subparagraph six of paragraph (b) of subdivision one-b of section two hundred forty of the domestic relations law, or
(iii) respondents whose income as defined by subparagraph five of paragraph (b) of subdivision one-b of section two hundred forty of the domestic relations law remaining after the payment of the current support obligation would fall below the self-support reserve as defined by subparagraph six of paragraph (b) of subdivision one-b of section two hundred forty of the domestic relations law.
(e) The court shall inform the respondent that competent proof for purposes of proving payment to a licensing entity shall be a certified check, notice issued by the court, or notice from a support collection unit where the order is for payment to the support collection unit.
Last modified: February 3, 2019