Ohio softens penalties for those missing child-support payments

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

Changes to Ohio’s child support laws mean that parents who pay at least half of their court-ordered support will no longer face suspension of their driver’s or professional licenses.

The Columbus Dispatch reports in its Sunday editions that the new law — which was tacked on to the recently-passed state budget — takes effect Wednesday.

Another provision of the law will let parents scrub past child support-related suspensions from their driving record.

The measure is aimed at encouraging parents to work, rather than cracking down on them when they can’t or don’t make payments.

Chairman Donald Hubin of Fathers and Families of Ohio said the vast majority of child support is owed by parents who are unable, not unwilling, to pay.

“Two-thirds of the money is owed by people who earn less than $10,000 a year,” he said.

Currently, a parent owing more than a month in child support can lose their driver’s or professional licenses.

Ohio Department of Job and Family Services spokesman Benjamin Johnson said that county child-support enforcement agencies must now look back 90 days to see if at least 50 percent of child support obligations have been paid.