Deadbeat parents may lose driver's licenses

SPRINGFIELD -- Thousands of deadbeat parents have recently been warned that they risk losing their driver's licenses if they don't pay up.

In the last two months, officials used a new law to send 6,000 warning notices of driver's license suspensions to parents who failed to pay child support. The secretary of state's office thus far has collected $127,000 from more than 500 parents -- roughly 8 percent -- who decided they'd rather pay their debt than lose their license.

"We'd like to see parents stepping forward to recognize their child-support obligations -- and we do that one parent at a time," said Ruth Igoe, spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. "At this point, certainly we'd like to see all the parents step forward."

The state's family services agency helps enforce child-support payments for more than 550,000 families. Igoe said 30,000 more parents could soon be warned of suspended driving privileges.

Delinquent parents owing $2,500 or more in unpaid support must begin making payments to the family services agency within 90 days. Otherwise they face a suspended or revoked license. Those who owe less than $2,500 are not considered "eligible," Igoe said.

The law, which took effect Jan. 1, also allows municipalities to enact ordinances authorizing the impoundment of delinquent parents' vehicles.

Since 2005, Illinois has collected more than $1 billion annually in overdue child support without the driver's license suspension program. Similar license programs are used in more than 20 other states.

The state's family services agency also issues income-withholding notices and submits child support debt to credit reporting agencies. It also gives information to state and federal governments to take delinquent parents' tax refunds.

To apply for free child support enforcement services, visit www.hfs.illinois.gov.