A. For the purposes of this subsection and Sections 1171.2 through 1171.4 of this title:

1. “Arrearage” means the total amount of unpaid support obligations;

2. “Delinquency” means any payment under an order for support which becomes due and remains unpaid;

3. “Income” or “earnings” means any form of payment to an individual regardless of source including, but not limited to, wages, salary, commission, compensation as an independent contractor, workers' compensation, disability, annuity and retirement benefits, and any other payments made by any person, private entity, federal or state government, any unit of local government, school district, or any entity created by law;

4. “Disposable income” means income or earnings less any amounts required by law to be withheld, including, but not limited to, federal, state, and local taxes, Social Security, and public assistance payments;

5. “Obligor” means the person who is required to make payments under an order for support;

6. “Person entitled” or “obligee” means the person to whom a duty of support is owed as designated in the support order or as otherwise specified by the court;

7. “Payor” means any person or entity paying monies, income, or earnings to an obligor. In the case of a self-employed person, the “payor” and “obligor” may be the same person;

8. “Support order” means an order for the payment of child support issued by a district court or the Department of Human Services;

9. “Income assignment” is a provision of a support order which directs the obligor to assign a portion of the monies, income, or periodic earnings due and owing to the obligor to the person entitled to the support or to another person designated by the support order or assignment for payment of support or arrearages or both. The assignment shall be in an amount which is sufficient to meet the periodic support arrearages or other maintenance payments or both imposed by the court order or administrative order. The income assignment shall be made a part of the support order;

10. “Child support” means and includes all payments or other obligations due and owing to the person entitled by the obligor pursuant to a child support order, including but not limited to medical insurance or health care premiums and other medical expenses, current child care obligations, child care arrearages and any fixed child care obligations and such other expenses and requirements as specified in Section 118 of Title 43 of the Oklahoma Statutes; and

11. “Notice of income assignment” means the standardized form prescribed by the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services that is required to be used in all cases to notify a payor of an order to withhold for payment of child support and other maintenance payments.

B. For the purposes of prejudgment garnishments, “judgment creditor” includes prejudgment garnishors.

Added by Laws 1985, c. 297, § 10, operative Oct. 1, 1985. Amended by Laws 1986, c. 176, § 1, emerg. eff. May 15, 1986; Laws 1990, c. 309, § 6, eff. Sept. 1, 1990; Laws 1995, c. 338, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 1995; Laws 1997, c. 272, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 1997; Laws 1999, c. 422, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 1999; Laws 2000, c. 345, § 1, emerg. eff. June 6, 2000.