Noncustodial parents in Utah will see their monthly child support payments increase — in many cases, substantially — under a bill that narrowly passed the House Tuesday.

SB23 updates the state's nearly 14-year-old child support guidelines, raising amounts nearly across the board, with the most significant increases for parents with only one child, and extending the tables for high wage earners.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Greg Bell, R-Farmington, had stalled in the House for nearly a month before it was finally approved with a vote of 39-34. It passed the Senate on a 26-3 vote.

SB23 has been strongly opposed by noncustodial parents, who say the new tables use flawed data and unfair perceptions about those without custody of their children.

Some lawmakers echoed many of those concerns Tuesday, as well as a fear that the increases will prohibit many noncustodial parents from meeting their obligations.

"As we continue to raise these payments ... we continue to just put them in a box," said Rep. Gordon Snow, R-Roosevelt. "It's no wonder that the child support payments are so far behind, and this will only make it worse. ... We create a hopeless situation for them, I believe."

Rep. Wayne Harper, R-West Jordan, agreed.

"I don't think this bill is in the best interests of the state of Utah or its residents. I don't think it's going to be beneficial to children," Harper said. "I think in certain situations, it may cause children more harm."

SB23 proponents, however, say Utah is "woefully behind" in updating the current tables, which have not had any adjustments, for inflation or otherwise, since 1994. An effort last year, also sponsored by Bell, passed the Senate but was never voted on in the House.

"This bill is not about deadbeat dads or parent time or alimony," said Rep. Lorie Fowlke, R-Orem, the House sponsor of SB23. "This bill is about trying to make sure that we have child support based on good economic data to reflect as closely as possible the amount it takes to raise a child."

The new tables are based on years of study by a committee made up of members of the judiciary, attorneys, lawmakers, custodial and noncustodial parents, Fowlke said. The group initially recommended a much higher increase for one-child cases than is in SB23, she said, but the decision was made to cap all increases at 25 percent.

Under the bill, child-support orders made after Jan. 1, 2008, will fall under the new guidelines. Existing orders can be modified using the new tables but not until January 2010.

Because SB23 was amended in the House Tuesday, it must now go back to the Senate for concurrence with the amendment before it can be signed into law by Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.

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E-mail: awelling@desnews.com