Section 14-169-108 - Child support cooperation - Legislative intent - Definitions(a) This section is: (1) Intended to encourage and permit a public housing authority to give priority to a person who cooperates with the Office of Child Support Enforcement over a person who does not cooperate with the office;(2) Not intended to permit a public housing authority to give priority to a person who cooperates with the office over a person who does not have a child support plan; and(3) Not intended to penalize a custodial parent of a child or permit a public housing authority to penalize a custodial parent of a child when the noncustodial parent of the child fails to pay child support as ordered by a court.(b) As used in this section: (1) "Child support cooperation requirement" means cooperation as described in:(A) The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program as authorized under 7 C.F.R. § 273.11, as it existed on January 1, 2021; and(B)7 C.F.R. § 273.11(o) and 7 C.F.R. § 273.11(p), as they existed on January 1, 2021, including without limitation the exemptions for good cause; and(2) "Public housing authority" means a housing authority created under § 14-169-207.(c)(1) A public housing authority shall operate, among eligible households on a waiting list for benefits, a housing-authority-wide local preference prioritizing the admission of a person who is compliant with the child support cooperation requirement, whether or not the person receives nutrition assistance benefits.(2) A public housing authority shall determine the weight of the housing-authority-wide local preference prioritizing the admission of a person who is compliant with the child support cooperation requirement as compared to another applicable local preference based on local needs.(d) A public housing authority shall: (1) Operate a housing-authority-wide child support cooperation requirement; and(2) Require compliance by a custodial parent or noncustodial parent as a condition of eligibility for housing benefits and assistance.(e) This section does not permit a public housing authority to: (1) Give priority to a person who cooperates with the office over a person who does not have a child support plan; or(2) Penalize a custodial parent of a child when the noncustodial parent of the child fails to pay child support as ordered by a court.Added by Act 2021, No. 1064,§ 1, eff. 7/28/2021.