Deadbeats Don't Drive - Child Support Enforcement

Driver Services Department - Jesse White, Secretary of State

Each year, hundreds of thousands of Illinois children face unnecessary financial hardship because a parent refuses to pay court-ordered child support. This problem touches us all; child support non-payment is the biggest reason that single parents turn to welfare.

I believe all parents have a personal responsibility to do their utmost to support their children. It is also my hope that our state's "Deadbeats Don't Drive" law provides a powerful new way to collect more than $1.3 billion now owed to the children of Illinois.

This measure, formally known as the Family Financial Responsibility Act, allows Illinois courts and my office to take strong action against "deadbeat" parents. The law states that any parent who now falls more than three months behind in making court-ordered child-support payments could face the loss of his or her driving privileges.

Other states have found the vast majority of these parents pay up rather than risk losing driving privileges. I hope our "Deadbeats Don't Drive" law will be just as effective here, so that more Illinois children can have the education, clothing, food and other advantages that most good parents try to provide.

DID YOU KNOW...

• According to the Children's Defense Fund, 49 percent of parents ordered to pay child support default on their court-ordered obligations.
• Illinois children are owed an estimated $1.3 billion by parents who have defaulted on court-ordered child support payments.
• The typical "deadbeat" Illinois parent is an average of 8.1 months late in making payments and owes $1,477 in support, according to a 1994 state audit.
• Uncollected child support strains an already-strapped welfare system by forcing thousands of single parents, mostly women, onto the public aid rolls.
• One-third of welfare recipients would be fully independent if their child-support payments were up to date, according to the federal government.
• Voices for Illinois Children states that 21 percent of the state's children are "growing up poor and many others near-poor," in part because they have parents who don't support them.
• Nineteen states now suspend either drivers' licenses, vehicle registrations or professional licenses for non-payment of child support.
• Parents can seek help in collecting past-due child support through the Illinois Department of Public Aid at 1-800-447-4278.

HOW THE "DEADBEATS DON'T DRIVE" LAW WORKS

• A circuit court may invoke the law any time a judge rules that a parent is at least 90 days behind on child support payments.
• The court notifies the secretary of state's office that the parent is in contempt of court for failure to pay child support.
• The secretary of state's office then notifies the driver that a license suspension will become effective in 60 days.
• The suspension can be avoided if the secretary of state's office is notified that the parent has met the court's requirements.
• Additionally, the parent can request an administrative hearing with the secretary of state's office during the 60-day period following notification.
• A delinquent parent's driver's license will remain suspended until the secretary of state's office receives notice from the court that the parent is in compliance with the court order of support.
• The court can order the secretary of state's office to provide the delinquent parent with a Family Financial Responsibility driving permit to allow travel for work, or medical purposes.

For more information on the "Deadbeats Don't Drive" law, please contact the Secretary of State's Information Line at (217) 782-3720