Family Law - Child Support - Assignment of Rights

SB 319 modifies Maryland's child support laws to streamline support rights for children in foster care. It authorizes the Child Support Administration to secure state assignment of child support rights on behalf of children receiving foster care maintenance payments, and requires courts to automatically terminate existing child support orders for these children without needing a "material change of circumstance" after the state determines the order is no longer appropriate. The bill specifically updates sections of the Family Law code (5-525.4 and 12-104.2) to implement this process. It directly affects children in foster care and their parents by changing how support obligations are managed when foster care payments are provided. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.