Child-support overhaul advances

A proposed overhaul of the state's decade-old child-support guidelines was poorly received Tuesday by noncustodial parents who would be affected by the changes.

More than a dozen people came to speak out against SB23, which, despite the criticism, passed unanimously out of the Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee.

"This is not just a set of numbers. These are real people," said Tony Curtis, a West Jordan father of three who prepared a 15-minute PowerPoint presentation about the impact of the proposed changes.

Critics of SB23, which would increase child-support orders in some cases by 25 percent, say the bill unfairly overburdens noncustodial parents and uses budgetary models that do not reflect reality.

"We here in Utah, and, I think, around the nation, recognize how important it is for fathers to spend time with their children," Curtis said. "Let's not make laws that don't give them enough money to do that."

Sponsoring Sen. Greg Bell, R-Fruit Heights, acknowledged that his bill doesn't address all areas that may need fixing, such as parent time or backlogs in the system. However, he said, the guidelines were last updated in 1994 and are sorely in need of an overhaul.

"What we have to remember is that, in its purest form, this is an amelioration of the financial effect of divorce on children," he said. "It's an unfortunate way to do it; it's not a smooth way to do it."

Still, he said, "This is the best product that we're able to do. So, with regrets for its imperfections, I still ask for your support on this bill."

SB23 would change the state's low-income tables to require a $30 minimum monthly child-support payment, up from the current $20. It also extends the tables to parents whose joint monthly income exceeds $10,000, where the current guidelines end.

The biggest impact, however, would be for noncustodial parents with only one child, whose payments have long been disproportionate to larger families. To lessen that impact, SB23 places a 25 percent cap on increases in those cases.

If passed, the new tables would go into effect on Jan. 1, 2008. Child-support orders made after that date would operate under the new guidelines, while those imposed prior to 2008 would not be eligible for modifications under the new tables until 2010.

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E-mail: awelling@desnews.com