Idaho OKs Child Support Bill

The final tally of the Idaho House vote Monday. The names in red are the individuals who voted against the legislation.

The Idaho Legislature passed a new version of a bill to keep the state’s child support enforcement system in operation. Though most of North Idaho’s lawmakers voted no during Monday’s special session, enough legislators rejected fears that the bill was a sell-out of the state’s sovereignty. Idaho, like all 50 states, has to conform its child support enforcement laws to federal regulations to continue to participate in interstate and international enforcement of child support orders; this year’s version of the update includes conforming to a 2007 international convention. Twenty-eight states, including Washington, already have conformed; the rest still are pending, but no others have refused. Without the bill, federal authorities told Idaho it would lose $16 million in federal child support enforcement funds next month, plus lose access to all the federal tools it now uses to enforce $205 million a year in child support payments for 155,000 families. The state also was informed that $30 million in aid to needy families would be in jeopardy/ Betsy Russell , Eye on Boise. More here.

Any final thoughts about the special session or this legislation?