State child-welfare officials are backing a House bill that would suspend the driver’s licenses of parents who fall more than $500 behind in their court-ordered child support payments. The officials also support a Senate bill that would block deadbeats from buying hunting and fishing licenses and camping permits. The goal, the officials say, is not to punish these debtors but to encourage them to pay their obligations on time and in full.
Uncollected child support is certainly a problem: Children receive only 54 percent of what’s due, which ranks Kansas 34th in the nation. Still, lawmakers need to be careful about suspending driver’s licenses. It is difficult to earn the money to pay your child support if you can’t get to your job.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
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52 Comments
Take away their driver’s licenses . . . so they can drive without licenses.
Yup, that’s worked so well for stopping drunks and illegals . . .
Why not lock ‘em up like we do for other criminals? Non payment of child support is a kind of child abuse.
PL,
If they did lock up deadbeat dads then most negro men would be behind bars permanently. I think that is good thing but are you sure that is what you would like? rotflmosao
Viva La Raza Blanco!!
I agree with Proud Liberal as to the driver licenses, but I LIKE the idea of denying deadbeat parents hunting and fishing privileges.
I am all for punishing deadbeat parents, but 500 seems a bad place to start.
If you are paying for several children you are probably paying around that amount each month.
If for some reason you miss a payment or accidentally pay late you get your license yanked…
How about 1000?
That would establish a clear violation of paying and not just missing a payment.
I know what to do.Deduct what they owe from their wages and/or tax returns.What? They already do that?NEVERMIND.
So if a parent cannot make a 500 dollar payment and they get locked up, how does anyone expect them to ever be able to come up with the money they owe??? That is the question that no one ever seems to answer. What about something like a probation and make them get a job!!!!! Honestly what does locking up someone who owes money do? It just makes them farther behind!! Hello does it take a genious to figure that out or what?
“Why not lock ‘em up like we do for other criminals? Non payment of child support is a kind of child abuse.”
Yeah, that’ll get them caught up on their payments.
Nicole, it also gives them an education on how to be real criminals.
I have 2 children, and my support is almost 1000.00 a month. It comes out automatically through the Kansas Payment Center. Part of the problem may be that the courts take such a large percentage of income for support – making it nearly impossible for the non-custodial parent to survive.
Maybe instead of setting punishment on a set dollar amount, we should base it on number of payments behind. I see way too many cases where the non-custodial parent doesn’t hold a regular job and works for cash under the table so they don’t get their paycheck attached. Or they work at a job till child support starts coming out of their check and they quit and move to another job.You have a responsibility to support your kids. If you’re not, they’re probably living in or near poverty, and that IS child abuse. IMHO, take their license, put them in jail. They’re probably not going to pay up anyway. I have no sympathy for deadbeat parents.
We really need Galahad to help us make sense of this.
Seems to me that some laws are intended to be a ‘deterrant’. But, the consequences of enacting it–putting the delinquent parent in jail–kind of defeats the ultimate goal.
So, does the threat of jail actually act as a deterrant to people who do not pay child support? I don’t have any stats, but my guess would be probably not.
Too bad people don’t take better care of their relationships, or else they jump into bed with someone they really don’t know well enough and have a child. If people were more committed to making their relationships work or if they would keep their pants on until they’re sure that they want to spend their life with that person, maybe this wouldn’t be such a huge problem in our culture. The kids are the ones who are always left to suffer for their parent’s choices and behaviors.
Negroes have been producing kids that they can’t financially look after because White taxpayers have always been there to pick up the tab!
Viva La Raza Blanco!!
Take their trucks away, and they will pay up pronto.
Damoon,Don’t you understand that what you’re asking requires one to exhibit responsibility? How dare you ask for people to do that. Why, next you’ll be asking people to not cheat on their income tax.
Damoon,
Come now. We are asking people to make a conscious choice and not do the act that will create a child. According to many you should have sex because its pleasurable, damn the possible consequences.
Why its our god given right or constitutional right if you don’t believe in God, to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Nowhere does it say take responsibility. What a crazy notion
The jail is full now. So how many people want their property taxes raised to pay for an expansion.
That is why the time-honored tradition of one man one woman works best! No one can redefine what a marriage is, because anything that does not stipulate valid marriage as being solely between a man and a woman is nothing but a mockery of the family unit. In our society people always tend to absolutize their rights, but with freedom comes with responsibility! If people were more responsible with their relationships then we wouldn’t have a 50% divorce rate now would we? People would be sure to put their marriages first before their own selfish desires. Christianity has the best take on marriage. The whole metaphorical relationship between man and wife as compared to Christ and the Church entails SACRIFICIAL love. Where do we see examples sacrificial love in our media today? Nowhere! It’s all about self! It’s all about getting the most out of a relationship for yourself rather than sacrificing some for your partner. We have lost the sense that all relationships are based on mutual love and respect, not just my being satisfied and getting everything I want. Which is why marriages end in divorce in the first place.
Crusader X, I think Damoon and Walker have the right idea: personal responsibility. Not everyone is a Christian or straight, you know (and by the way, same-sex couples generally don’t produce children. . .)
P.S. I didn’t know if you were “going there,” but “one man, one woman” is the LAW in Kansas, you know. . .
No really? I thought gay people only lived in the Village. :) And Marriage is LEGAL here in KS? How dare you! We must make provisions in our justice system giving full marital status economic benefits to gays and lesbians! Then we should protect NAMBLA and allow them to marry pre-pusbescent boys, also granting the same economic benefits. Then when people wanna marry animals,(which has been done, a woman married a dolphin recently, i forget the country of origin) we should bestow full marital enefits to them as well! Well Rage, you still wanna ski on that slippery slope?
No thanks, I’ll meet you at the bottom with a glass of brandy (you obviously need it).
The “woman” who “married” the dolphin was a degenerate jewess!
Viva La Raza Blanco!!
Hey Welcome back Ian!What is worse Ian? Her “marrrying” the dolphin, or her being a filthy “degenerate” Jew? :)
I favor jews marrying animals because in so doing they will not reproduce. lol
V.L.R.B!!
LOL.Oh Ian, where would the world be without you? :)
Interesting. I don’t know much about you, Crusader X. How do you differ from Ian?
Yes, it’s a loaded question. Explain your reasoning.
Rage,One word: SARCASM.
Ian,If you married a horse, at least we’d get a usable mule out of the union!
Jed,OUCH!!! That’s gotta hurt. :)
I know gay couples who have healthier relationships and provide more stable and nuturing homes for their children than a lot of straight couples. Sexual orientation has nothing to do with the kind of parent or partner you are.
Child support is a cruel burden almost exclusively exacted by women who either abandon a husband that they chose but do not wish to stay with, or use to attempt to force marriage on a man who has not asked for it by way of using a baby as leverage.
Have you noticed that most people who are anti-abortion are usually part of the “hang the “deadbeat Dad” crowd?
The best answer is to make child support more gender equal. Except in cases of abuse, the spouse wishing to end marriage should be responsible for the child support and should lose custody of the children. In cases where the parents are not married, a man could offer to pay the costs of aborting the pregnancy and thus be absolved of further obligation.
Now of course this turns the support of these kids back in most part to where it truly belongs; society.
It takes a village.
When you take away a deadbeat dad’s driver’s license and truck, and maybe throw him in jail, you just make sure he can’t hold a job that will pay the child support. May be satisfying, but it’s counterproductive. Why not sell deadbeat dads into slavery for enough to pay the child support? Pharmaceutical companies are always needing test subjects, and the Army could certainly use some cannon fodder.
Oh, yeah, I forgot about all those non-union coal mines in West Virginia!
In New Mexico we suspend Driver’s Licenses as a “wake-up” call. Then we negotiate a settlement to pay down an arrearage or delinquency. Sometimes there are unknown reasons why a non-custodial parent cannot pay (job loss for example). 14% of our NCPs are WOMEN.
We are prohibited from using the term “Deadbeat Dad.” The NCP and the CP are both “customers” to us; not clients, or burdens, or a waste of our time.
We have a law that states that we neither represent the CP or the NCP and we represent the best interests of the State of New Mexico, which is the quality of life of the child.
We try not to get trapped in the mindsets of the past.
We have Governor Bill Richardson’s “Fresh Start” Arrears Management Program, which is trying to make the payments fair to the NCPs and increase income to the CPs. It is sometimes walking a fine line, but we have been able to do it. We “forgive” our interest balances which sometimes top $25,000.00 if someone is in the AMP. If you have a New Mexico case (ONLY), for more info call:1-888-293-0825 toll free.
If people were more responsible with their relationships then we wouldn’t have a 50% divorce rate now would we? (snip) …Christianity has the best take on marriage.
CruX, how is that straight, one man-one woman christian marriage with children thing actually working out for you all? You can get legally married in Las Vegas while drunk in front of an Elvis impersonator. Very sacred.
How can you say the “christian” take on marriage is working? And legalizing our relationships would make your marriage fail…how? How could we make things worse for your “sacred” institution?
But please, continue your one-man one-woman example of how successful relationships work. We are all watching you for guidance.
13th. Amendmentto the U.S. ConstitutionSection 1. Neither slavery nor INVOLUNTARY servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.
14th. Amendmentto the U.S. Constitution
Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the EQUAL protection of the laws.
State of KansasKansas Bill of Rights
6. Slavery prohibited. There shall be no slavery in this state; and no involuntary servitude, except for the punishment of crime, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted.
12. No forfeiture of estate for crimes. No conviction within the state shall work a forfeiture of estate.
16. Imprisonment for debt. No person shall be imprisoned for debt, except in cases of fraud.
If they pass it I’ll sue them for violation of my civil rights I refuse to be a indentured servent to the state.
I find it funny that most of these posts are about men and their Non-Payment of Child Support.My Ex wife owes me nearly $11,000 in back child support. I tried to make the marriage work for over 2 years until finally SHE decided that SHE wanted to jump into bed with the first guy that came along while I was deployed in Support of HER and YOUR Freedom with the USAF.The biased and prejudicial opinions on this blog make me laugh.Let this be known ITS NOT ONLY MEN that don’t pay…It’s women as well.
You know I have had custody of my son since he was 2 years old. I was a single parent for almost 5 years before I got remarried. Oh by the way, I am a man. People want to bitch about child support but most people don’t realize that Kansas is in the top 5 of the highest child support payments in the nation. TOP 5. Thats comparing us to New York, California, Boston, Florida, etc for cost of living and wages. The amount of money that is levied against the non-custodial parent is astronimically high. It does NOT take that much money each month to raise a child. The courts expect the non-custodial parent (NCP) to not only pay for the child but the ex-spouse too. Why is it the responsability of the ncp to pay the rent of the ex? What, if you didn’t have the child you would live on the street? Find yourself a nice cozy box somewhere and forget about an apartment? The ex has to live somewhere and so does the ncp. They both have to provide a place for the child to stay, so that evens itself out on the matter of living space. O.K. so there is the diffence between a 2 BDRM and a 3 BDRM. For all of you that feel that the ncp should pay the difference even though he/she has to do it for themselves then there should be an average amount that is charged in the area for the difference in rent between the two. A 2 BDRM is $40.00 a month more, so dividing that between the 2 parents is $20.00 a month. Both parents have to provide clothing for the child. Each of you provide clothing for the child at your respective places and replace what needs to be. It’s better than trying to pack a bag anyway. And as far as food goes, what do you quit eating when the child is not around? How many people actually cook for one person. Lets be realistic. the most expensive thing about child care is day care, school expenses (which alot can be written off if you are under a cetain income bracket) and medical. To many people use the child support as a weapon to get back at the ex for the anger that caused the divorce. They feel that they are entitled to all of that money and that it is the NCPs responsabilty to take care of them. If you want to end the problem with deadbeat parents then take a look at coming up with a reasonable amount for child support then make it so that it is spent on the CHILD not the ex, not the ex’s new boyfriend, or the other kids that they may have had with another person. Make it so that they are responsable for providing proof that the CHILD received the benefit, not the ex.
Jim? If you come back to read this, I said pretty much what you did and I am a single dad. MM? I’m glad you are enjoying blogging! I am still learning myself. I JUST learned how to post links! (I think) MM you can post any thread you like. You had good things (lots of them) to say to this topic. But I did want to make you aware that what you have here is an old thread. Check the date of Mr Turners post. 3 months old. What you have here is Jim surfing the net mining archives or finding this topic some other way. (Either that or he just now thought of what to say!) This happens now and again. Shows us just how far our words go. Sometimes these old threads get new life that way. Usually they get ignored. Anyways I know you are new and just wanted to share that with you.
thanks J.R.
Having raised my son by myself for 15 years, I have a bit of experience. The deal I got from the state of California was I pay no alimony, she paid no child support. If it were the other way around, I would have been paying through the nose. No ands ifs or buts about it.
The mother is better protected by the state than the father. Right or wrong, that’s just how it is. Trust me, I’m not complaining.
On the matter of drivers license, I have to agree: lose it and you most likely don’t work. The best thing is for a national database where if the deadbeat parent is found, his or her paycheck can be garnished. If they’re not working, put em in jail.
The bottom line is the children come first, but there has to be a way for the NCP to pay what is due. They have to stand up to their responsibility.
You people absolutely AMAZE ME! Talk about sterotyping! OMGSH, it’s just like saying because a black man kills…ALL black men kill. COME THE HECK ON! The problem with child support is that you people see someone behind and you automatically yell “DEADBEAT DAD”. Try getting their STORY FIRST! That is what’s wrong with this entire child support system. Guys can’t see their kids, but they sure are in court the first payment missed. It comes down to a bunch of money hungry ex-wives. Now I’m not saying ALL is like that…but if you really take a look, A LOT ARE!My husband and I drive around in a van that has 2 broken doors, barely runs, and is 16 years old. We NEVER get to do anything because we never have money. We are lucky to rent a movie once a week…BUT, his ex drives around in a brand new car, has a brand new house, takes cruises, and God only knows what else. Now how fair is that? My husband bust his BUTT working everyday. He is a construction worker and gets laid off a lot in the winter. So because of THIS, they are finding him in contempt of court AGAIN. Out of 5 years, there was only 3 times he paid nothing..cause there was NOTHING to pay. Most of the time she got more than she was suppose to because he owes arrears. But that’s another story.So my point to all this is, dont bash all guys because of child support. You have NO clue what the sitiuation is in their lives. My husband has ONE child in this world…we decided not to have kids together because we KNEW we couldn’t afford it. Yet you all want to bash all of them. Maybe I should bash you because when I was 4 years old, a redhead beat me up. Bash you because you have red hair? Hmm, sounds right…don’t it?
Extremelly mad in WV
You people absolutely AMAZE ME! Talk about sterotyping! OMGSH, it’s just like saying because a black man kills…ALL black men kill. COME THE HECK ON! The problem with child support is that you people see someone behind and you automatically yell “DEADBEAT DAD”. Try getting their STORY FIRST! That is what’s wrong with this entire child support system. Guys can’t see their kids, but they sure are in court the first payment missed. It comes down to a bunch of money hungry ex-wives. Now I’m not saying ALL is like that…but if you really take a look, A LOT ARE!My husband and I drive around in a van that has 2 broken doors, barely runs, and is 16 years old. We NEVER get to do anything because we never have money. We are lucky to rent a movie once a week…BUT, his ex drives around in a brand new car, has a brand new house, takes cruises, and God only knows what else. Now how fair is that? My husband bust his BUTT working everyday. He is a construction worker and gets laid off a lot in the winter. So because of THIS, they are finding him in contempt of court AGAIN. Out of 5 years, there was only 3 times he paid nothing..cause there was NOTHING to pay. Most of the time she got more than she was suppose to because he owes arrears. But that’s another story.So my point to all this is, dont bash all guys because of child support. You have NO clue what the sitiuation is in their lives. My husband has ONE child in this world…we decided not to have kids together because we KNEW we couldn’t afford it. Yet you all want to bash all of them. Maybe I should bash you because when I was 4 years old, a redhead beat me up. Bash you because you have red hair? Hmm, sounds right…don’t it?
Extremelly mad in WV
You people absolutely AMAZE ME! Talk about sterotyping! OMGSH, it’s just like saying because a black man kills…ALL black men kill. COME THE HECK ON! The problem with child support is that you people see someone behind and you automatically yell “DEADBEAT DAD”. Try getting their STORY FIRST! That is what’s wrong with this entire child support system. Guys can’t see their kids, but they sure are in court the first payment missed. It comes down to a bunch of money hungry ex-wives. Now I’m not saying ALL is like that…but if you really take a look, A LOT ARE!My husband and I drive around in a van that has 2 broken doors, barely runs, and is 16 years old. We NEVER get to do anything because we never have money. We are lucky to rent a movie once a week…BUT, his ex drives around in a brand new car, has a brand new house, takes cruises, and God only knows what else. Now how fair is that? My husband bust his BUTT working everyday. He is a construction worker and gets laid off a lot in the winter. So because of THIS, they are finding him in contempt of court AGAIN. Out of 5 years, there was only 3 times he paid nothing..cause there was NOTHING to pay. Most of the time she got more than she was suppose to because he owes arrears. But that’s another story.So my point to all this is, dont bash all guys because of child support. You have NO clue what the sitiuation is in their lives. My husband has ONE child in this world…we decided not to have kids together because we KNEW we couldn’t afford it. Yet you all want to bash all of them. Maybe I should bash you because when I was 4 years old, a redhead beat me up. Bash you because you have red hair? Hmm, sounds right…don’t it?
Extremelly mad in WV
You people absolutely AMAZE ME! Talk about sterotyping! OMGSH, it’s just like saying because a black man kills…ALL black men kill. COME THE HECK ON! The problem with child support is that you people see someone behind and you automatically yell “DEADBEAT DAD”. Try getting their STORY FIRST! That is what’s wrong with this entire child support system. Guys can’t see their kids, but they sure are in court the first payment missed. It comes down to a bunch of money hungry ex-wives. Now I’m not saying ALL is like that…but if you really take a look, A LOT ARE!My husband and I drive around in a van that has 2 broken doors, barely runs, and is 16 years old. We NEVER get to do anything because we never have money. We are lucky to rent a movie once a week…BUT, his ex drives around in a brand new car, has a brand new house, takes cruises, and God only knows what else. Now how fair is that? My husband bust his BUTT working everyday. He is a construction worker and gets laid off a lot in the winter. So because of THIS, they are finding him in contempt of court AGAIN. Out of 5 years, there was only 3 times he paid nothing..cause there was NOTHING to pay. Most of the time she got more than she was suppose to because he owes arrears. But that’s another story.So my point to all this is, dont bash all guys because of child support. You have NO clue what the sitiuation is in their lives. My husband has ONE child in this world…we decided not to have kids together because we KNEW we couldn’t afford it. Yet you all want to bash all of them. Maybe I should bash you because when I was 4 years old, a redhead beat me up. Bash you because you have red hair? Hmm, sounds right…don’t it?
Extremelly mad in WV
You people absolutely AMAZE ME! Talk about sterotyping! OMGSH, it’s just like saying because a black man kills…ALL black men kill. COME THE HECK ON! The problem with child support is that you people see someone behind and you automatically yell “DEADBEAT DAD”. Try getting their STORY FIRST! That is what’s wrong with this entire child support system. Guys can’t see their kids, but they sure are in court the first payment missed. It comes down to a bunch of money hungry ex-wives. Now I’m not saying ALL is like that…but if you really take a look, A LOT ARE!My husband and I drive around in a van that has 2 broken doors, barely runs, and is 16 years old. We NEVER get to do anything because we never have money. We are lucky to rent a movie once a week…BUT, his ex drives around in a brand new car, has a brand new house, takes cruises, and God only knows what else. Now how fair is that? My husband bust his BUTT working everyday. He is a construction worker and gets laid off a lot in the winter. So because of THIS, they are finding him in contempt of court AGAIN. Out of 5 years, there was only 3 times he paid nothing..cause there was NOTHING to pay. Most of the time she got more than she was suppose to because he owes arrears. But that’s another story.So my point to all this is, dont bash all guys because of child support. You have NO clue what the sitiuation is in their lives. My husband has ONE child in this world…we decided not to have kids together because we KNEW we couldn’t afford it. Yet you all want to bash all of them. Maybe I should bash you because when I was 4 years old, a redhead beat me up. Bash you because you have red hair? Hmm, sounds right…don’t it?
Extremelly mad in WV
You people absolutely AMAZE ME! Talk about sterotyping! OMGSH, it’s just like saying because a black man kills…ALL black men kill. COME THE HECK ON! The problem with child support is that you people see someone behind and you automatically yell “DEADBEAT DAD”. Try getting their STORY FIRST! That is what’s wrong with this entire child support system. Guys can’t see their kids, but they sure are in court the first payment missed. It comes down to a bunch of money hungry ex-wives. Now I’m not saying ALL is like that…but if you really take a look, A LOT ARE!My husband and I drive around in a van that has 2 broken doors, barely runs, and is 16 years old. We NEVER get to do anything because we never have money. We are lucky to rent a movie once a week…BUT, his ex drives around in a brand new car, has a brand new house, takes cruises, and God only knows what else. Now how fair is that? My husband bust his BUTT working everyday. He is a construction worker and gets laid off a lot in the winter. So because of THIS, they are finding him in contempt of court AGAIN. Out of 5 years, there was only 3 times he paid nothing..cause there was NOTHING to pay. Most of the time she got more than she was suppose to because he owes arrears. But that’s another story.So my point to all this is, dont bash all guys because of child support. You have NO clue what the sitiuation is in their lives. My husband has ONE child in this world…we decided not to have kids together because we KNEW we couldn’t afford it. Yet you all want to bash all of them. Maybe I should bash you because when I was 4 years old, a redhead beat me up. Bash you because you have red hair? Hmm, sounds right…don’t it?
Extremelly mad in WV
Kirsten, JM, JR:
AMEN!
Kirsten, JM, JR:
AMEN!
You know what really gets me? I don’t care if it’s a male or a female that owes child support they need to pay it. Just because someones marriage didn’t work out.What that gives the non custodial parent the right not to pay? People bitch about taking a DL away from them and if they do that they they can’t pay because they can get to work. Guess what their not paying anyway (city transportation). So what would it matter. I think that these business that let these deadbeats work under the table so they don’t get caught should be the ones that have to pay the c/s that is owed if the company gets caught. Im sure it would not happen as much. The fact of the matter is we can go to court and the law master or judge whatever it may be can set an amount, but if it is not enforced, then it dosen’t matter. CS (ENFORCEMENT)What does it mean?