The Deadbeat Parents Punishment Act recently passed in the House by a vote of 402 to 16 and is expected to become law soon.
The Act would mandate felony charges for the following deadbeat parents: parents who owe $10,000 or more in child support; parents who have been behind on child support payments for two years or more; parents who have crossed state borders to avoid paying $5,000 or more in child support; and parents who have crossed state borders to avoid a payment that has been due for more than a year.
Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD), sponsor of the bills, said “This bill helps close loopholes in the system which allow parents to slip across state lines to avoid paying child support, thus leaving children and families in economic ruin.”
