Child Support Law Already Getting Plenty Of Attention Would Suspend Licenses Of Parents Behind In Payments

A new law allowing suspension of drivers licenses for failure to pay child support has prompted hundreds of calls from deadbeat parents.

And the law officially hasn’t even taken effect yet.

In August, the state Department of Health and Welfare mailed out letters to thousands of so-called deadbeat parents explaining the new law, which takes effect Jan. 1.

It would allow suspension of drivers, hunting, fishing and nearly 200 other state licenses for parents who are three months or $2,000 behind in child support.

In less than a month, more than 400 parents called the department’s Boise office to find out how to avoid losing a license. The department’s seven regional offices - including the one in Coeur d’Alene - have received about 20 calls each.

While it’s too soon to determine how effective the law will be, state workers are optimistic. They are building a data base that tracks money and determines if the law prompted the parent to finally pay.

“We have already had some payments,” said Shannon Barnes, director of the state’s child support services.

“One person came in and paid $5,000 last week.”

Kathleen Clark, a support worker in Coeur d’Alene, said in another case, a man who was $10,000 behind in child support offered to sell one of his show horses to avoid losing a drivers license.

Workers maintain the point of the law - a cornerstone of the state’s welfare reform package - is not to take away licenses, but to encourage people to pay.

To date, more than 11,000 parents owe about $109 million in child support.

And most of the cases handled by Health and Welfare involve parents who receive some welfare assistance.

“It’s not that all 11,000 aren’t paying; some are paying but are behind,” Barnes said.

“The people who make arrangements to pay won’t lose a license. We are firmly committed to that.”

, DataTimes