If deadbeat parents don’t pay child support, how does the government force them to comply? That was the subject of a bill passed in the Louisiana House of Representatives this week.
On Monday, the House Appropriations committee unanimously approved House Bill 238 to be sent to the full House at a later date. The bill would give the Department of Children and Family Services to demand from the Department of Motor Vehicles a denial of drivers licenses to parents who choose not to make child support payments.
There is already a measure in place to penalize parents who don’t pay child support. Licenses can be suspended under current law. The new proposal seeks to revoke the license.
Louisiana Rep. Katrina Jackson said that at first she was against the measure but she said that something has to be done.
“I have seen too many cases where the parents are just not paying,” Jackson said.
Rep. Marcus Hunter said that the bill is well intentioned but it needs a few adjustments. He said that if parents can’t drive their vehicles it will make it difficult for them to get to work to provide necessary money to make payments.
“If they can’t generate the funds, they can’t sustain their family,” Hunter said.
