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<section article="gfl" article_name="Family Law" number="10-119.3" title_number="10" title_name="Support in General" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="Civil and Criminal Enforcement">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“License” means any license, certificate, registration, permit, or other authorization that:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>is issued by a licensing authority;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>is subject to suspension, revocation, forfeiture, or termination by a licensing authority; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>is necessary for an individual to practice or engage in:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>a particular business, occupation, or profession; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>recreational hunting or fishing.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <level label="i">
        <text>“Licensing authority” means a department, unit of a department, commission, board, office, or court of the State.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>“Licensing authority” includes:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>the Maryland Department of Labor;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>the Maryland Department of Health;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>the Department of Human Services;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="4">
          <text>the Department of Transportation;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="5">
          <text>the Department of the Environment;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="6">
          <text>the Comptroller of the Treasury;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="7">
          <text>the Department of Agriculture;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="8">
          <text>the Maryland Insurance Administration;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="9">
          <text>the Public Service Commission;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="10">
          <text>the Secretary of State;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="11">
          <text>the State Department of Education;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="12">
          <text>the Department of Natural Resources;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="13">
          <text>the Office of the Attorney General;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="14">
          <text>the clerks of the court that are authorized to issue a license or certificate for professional services or recreational uses; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="15">
          <text>the Supreme Court of Maryland.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection, a licensing authority shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>require each applicant for a license to disclose the Social Security number of the applicant; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>record the applicant’s Social Security number on the application.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Department of Natural Resources shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>require an applicant for a recreational hunting or fishing license to disclose only the last four digits of the Social Security number of the applicant instead of the full Social Security number; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>record the applicant’s partial Social Security number on the application.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Each health occupations board and the State Emergency Services Board shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>require each applicant for a license to:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>disclose the Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number of the applicant; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>provide alternative documentation as permitted by the Department of Health and Human Services under Section 466(a)(13) of the Social Security Act; and</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>record the applicant’s Social Security number, Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, or alternative documentation provided under item (i) of this paragraph in the application file.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>To carry out its responsibility under State and federal law, the Administration may request from a licensing authority information concerning any obligor in arrears in paying child support through a support enforcement agency.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A request for information by the Administration under paragraph (1) of this subsection:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>shall contain:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>the full name of the obligor; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <level label="A">
            <text>the Social Security number or, as appropriate, the partial Social Security number of the obligor, if known; or</text>
          </level>
        </level>
        <level label="B">
          <text>the Individual Taxpayer Identification Number of the obligor, if known; and</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>may be transmitted to a licensing authority using an electronic format.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>A request for information may not be made by the Administration to a licensing authority more frequently than four times in each calendar year except with respect to an obligor whom the Administration has reason to believe is licensed by, or has applied for a license from, the licensing authority.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>In addition to requests for information under this subsection, the Administration may request a licensing authority to periodically share its licensing database with the Administration.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Upon receipt of a request for information under subsection (c) of this section, a licensing authority shall submit the following information to the Administration with respect to each obligor who is licensed by, or has applied for a license from, the licensing authority:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the full name of the obligor;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the address of the obligor, if known;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>if known:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>the Social Security number or, as appropriate, the partial Social Security number of the obligor; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>the Individual Taxpayer Identification Number of the obligor; and</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>a description of the license held by the obligor.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The information may be transmitted to the Administration in an electronic format.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Except as otherwise provided by law, any record compiled under this subsection shall be made available only to a person who has a right to the record in an official capacity.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Except as provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection and subject to the provisions of subsection (f) of this section, the Administration may request a licensing authority to suspend or deny an individual’s license if:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <level label="1">
          <text>the individual is 120 days or more out of compliance with the most recent order; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <level label="A">
            <text>the Administration has accepted an assignment of support under § 5–312(b)(2) of the Human Services Article; or</text>
          </level>
        </level>
        <level label="B">
          <text>the recipient of support payments has filed an application for support enforcement services with the Administration; or</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the individual has failed to comply with a subpoena issued by the Administration under § 10–108.6 of this subtitle.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Except as provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection, upon notification by the Administration under this section, a licensing authority shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>suspend an individual’s license; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>deny the license of an individual who is an applicant for a license from the licensing authority.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <level label="i">
        <text>This paragraph applies if the licensing authority is the Supreme Court of Maryland.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>If an individual meets the criteria specified in paragraph (1) of this subsection, the Administration may make a referral to the Attorney Grievance Commission for proceedings in accordance with the Maryland Rules governing attorney discipline.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>On recommendation of the Attorney Grievance Commission, the Supreme Court of Maryland may suspend an individual’s license or take other action against the individual as authorized by the Maryland Rules governing attorney discipline.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>The Supreme Court of Maryland may adopt rules to implement the provisions of this paragraph.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <level label="1">
      <text>At least 30 days before requesting a licensing authority to suspend or deny a license or at least 30 days before making a referral under subsection (e)(3) of this section, the Administration shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>send written notice of the proposed action to the individual whose license is subject to suspension under this section, including notice of the individual’s right to request an investigation; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>give the individual a reasonable opportunity to contest the accuracy of the information.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>For a license necessary to practice or engage in a particular business, occupation, or profession, the notice shall include a statement that the obligor has the right to request an investigation on the following grounds:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the reported arrearage is inaccurate;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <level label="1">
          <text>the suspension of the license would be an impediment to current or potential employment because the license is necessary for the primary source of income for the obligor; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>the obligor has made good faith payments toward the child support obligation; or</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>the suspension of the license would result in an undue hardship because:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>the obligor has a documented disability resulting in a verified inability to work; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>the suspension of the license would result in the inability of the obligor to comply with the court order.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <level label="i">
        <text>Upon receipt of a request for investigation from an individual whose license is subject to suspension, the Administration shall conduct an investigation.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Upon completion of the investigation, the Administration shall notify the individual of the result of the investigation and the individual’s right to appeal to the Office of Administrative Hearings.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <level label="i">
        <text>An appeal under this section shall be conducted in accordance with Title 10, Subtitle 2 of the State Government Article.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>An appeal shall be made in writing and shall be received by the Office of Administrative Hearings within 30 days after the notice to the individual whose license is subject to suspension of the results of the investigation.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>If, after the investigation or appeal to the Office of Administrative Hearings, the Administration finds that it erred in making a decision or that one of the grounds under paragraph (2) of this subsection exists, the Administration may not send a notification about an individual to a licensing authority or make a referral under subsection (e)(3) of this section.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>The Administration may not send a notification about an individual to a licensing authority or make a referral under subsection (e)(3) of this section if:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>with respect to an individual with a child support arrearage:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the Administration reaches an agreement with the individual regarding a scheduled payment of the child support arrearage or a court issues an order for a scheduled payment of the child support arrearage; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the individual is complying with the agreement or court order; or</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>with respect to an individual who failed to comply with a subpoena issued under § 10–108.5 of this subtitle, the individual has complied with the subpoena.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, prior to the suspension or denial of a license under subsection (e) of this section, a licensing authority shall send written notice of the proposed action to the individual whose license is subject to suspension or denial, including notice of the individual’s right to contest the identity of the individual whose license or application is to be suspended or denied.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>If the licensing authority is the Supreme Court of Maryland, notice shall be as provided in the Maryland Rules governing attorney discipline.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="i">
    <level label="1">
      <level label="i">
        <text>Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, an individual may appeal a decision of a licensing authority to suspend or deny the individual’s license in accordance with Title 10, Subtitle 2 of the State Government Article.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>At a hearing under this paragraph, the issue shall be limited to whether the Administration has mistaken the identity of the individual whose license has been suspended or denied.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>If the licensing authority is the Supreme Court of Maryland, an individual may appeal a decision in accordance with the Maryland Rules governing attorney discipline.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="j">
    <text>The Administration shall notify the licensing authority to reinstate any license suspended or denied under this section within 10 days after the occurrence of any of the following events:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the Administration receives a court order to reinstate the suspended license;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>with respect to an individual with a child support arrearage, the individual has:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>paid the support arrearage in full;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>demonstrated good faith by paying the ordered amount of support for 4 consecutive months;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>paid a lump sum equal to four times the ordered amount of monthly support; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>cooperated with the Administration in entering into an enforceable wage withholding order with the maximum deduction permitted under federal law; or</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>with respect to an individual whose license was suspended or denied because of a failure to comply with a subpoena issued under § 10–108.5 of this subtitle, the individual has complied with the subpoena.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="k">
    <text>A licensing authority shall immediately reinstate any license suspended, or process an application for any license denied, under this section if:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>notified by the Administration that the license should be reinstated; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the individual otherwise qualifies for the license.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
