Update on child support is moving to full Senate

Lawmakers voted unanimously Thursday to update Utah's more than decade-old child support guidelines.

With little discussion, members of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee sent SB195, sponsored by Sen. Greg Bell, R-Fruit Heights, to the full Senate for consideration.

If passed, the bill would bring current the schedules upon which child support is determined, which were last revised in 1994. It would also expand the tables to include parents whose joint monthly income exceeds $10,000 and increase the minimum monthly amount for low-income parents from $20 to $30.

Noncustodial parent groups oppose the proposed changes, which could significantly increase monthly child support amounts for some income levels. Parents of only one child could be particularly affected, as Utah's original schedules did not include support for only one child. The column was added after the fact and has been proportionately lower than amounts for more children.

To counteract that, Bell said his legislation limits the increase for one-child payers to 25 percent of the current amount.

SB195 now goes onto the full Senate for consideration.