The State plan shall provide as follows:
(a) An assignment of support rights, as defined in § 301.1 of this chapter, constitutes an obligation owed to the State by the individual responsible for providing such support. Such obligation shall be established by:
(1) Order of a court of competent jurisdiction or of an administrative process; or
(2) Except for obligations assigned under 42 CFR 433.146, other legal process as established by State laws, such as a legally enforceable and binding agreement.
(b) The amount of the obligation described in paragraph (a) of this section shall be:
(1) The amount specified in the order of a court of competent jurisdiction or administrative process which covers the assigned support rights.
(2) If there is no court or administrative order, an amount determined in a record by the IV-D agency as part of the legal process referred to in paragraph (a)(2) of this section in accordance with the requirements of § 302.56.
(c) The obligation described in paragraph (a) of this section shall be deemed for collection purposes to be collectible under all applicable State and local processes.
(d) Any amounts which represent support payments collected from an individual responsible for providing support under the State plan shall reduce, dollar for dollar, the amount of his obligation under this section.
(e) No portion of any amounts collected which represent an assigned support obligation defined under § 301.1 of this chapter may be used to satisfy a medical support obligation unless the court or administrative order designates a specific dollar amount for medical purposes.
[64 FR 6248, Feb. 9, 1999, as amended at 68 FR 25303, May 12, 2003; 81 FR 93562, Dec. 20, 2016]