Texas Attorney General's Office Links Child Support Payments To Vehicle Registration Renewals

AUSTIN, TX -- Beginning this fall, parents behind on child support payments won't be able to secure a vehicle registration renewal as punishment until they pay up, according to a published report.

The Texas Attorney General's Office will launch the punitive measure to compel those behind on child support for at least six months, Janece Rolfe, a spokeswoman for the Child Support Division, told the Austin American-Statesman. 

The block on vehicle registration renewals is the latest tool to punish parents behind on child payments in a state that is regarded as one of the nation's strictest in going after such individuals. 

Currently, the state's AG office is able to revoke driver's, professional and recreational licenses for those behind on child support, the Statesman explained. Blocking the ability of individuals to even renew vehicle registration is another tool to that arsenal of deterrents in falling behind on payments, Rolfe said.

"We're going to use every tool that we can to collect support that is due to children and families, and that's why this initiative is being pursued," Rolfe told the newspaper.

But not everybody's on board with the state's latest tactic. Austin attorney Tim Mahoney said the move is counter-intuitive, given that it prevents people from being able to drive in order to reach their job sites and advance their livelihoods that enables them to pay child support in the first place.

"I think it's really bad in terms of public policy," the lawyer told the Statesman. "Because if you're wanting people to pay child support, it would be really good if you could provide them with the means to earn a living." 

The AG's new measure is due to take effect in December, Rolfe said.

Read the full story at Austin American-Statesman >>