DES MOINES – Families United Action Network this week announced that Senator Amy Sinclair and Representative Mary Wolfe have introduced a bill to stop the practice of suspending driver’s licenses or traveling privileges for unpaid child support. Currently, the practice of suspending driver’s licenses inhibits the ability to work and/or find work when sanctioned, and it does not help promote payments of fines and fees. Many say these practices are merely another attack on fathers while some mothers weaponize the system to criminalize and punish dads who just want to be in their children’s lives.
The purpose of this proposed change is to amend the Iowa Code which currently is counterproductive in that it results in the lessened ability to find work, as well as the ability to maintain work for those already employed. In rural communities, which includes a significant portion of Iowa, decent employment is found in the more metropolitan areas of the state. Amending the Iowa Code will allow people to search for work, to maintain employment needed to pay the child support in question, and stop making payee’s into criminals for matters that do not reflect driving ability or public safety.
Senate File 2237, House File 2006, and House File 2010 have yet to be scheduled a subcommittee in either chamber.
“In my years as an Iowa peace officer, I always thought it was pointless to suspend drivers who otherwise had a perfect driving record but just fell behind paying child support which had nothing to do with driving or safety,” said Tom McDermott, a Retired Iowa Police Officer & FUAN Custodial Affairs Director.
and stop making payee’s into criminals for matters that do not reflect driving ability
THIS LINE ABOVE IS FROM THE STORY…
It is disingenuous. If in fact they were ‘payees’ they would not worry about losing privileges to drive. Had they used that privilege to gain work when they could there would be no problem.
I paid support for my kids for 16 years and am now happily putting one through University.
Grow up, pay your obligations. Think about the stupidity it took to not wear a condom. Cherish and care for those kids.
child support is stealing $ from dads so a woman can be a deadbeat welfare queen
I certainly agree with this bill. Now the need to look at DUI’s. There are different degrees of this and it just stops people from being able to work and pay their fines.