Utah Child Support Legislation Approved by Senate: How It Could Affect Noncustodial Parents After Divorce!
Recent Utah child support legislation could mean higher payments for parents without custody, according to a story in the Daily Herald. Specifically, the Utah Senate approved child support legislation establishing new child support guidelines, which haven’t been adjusted since 1994. If signed into law, this Utah child support legislation could especially lead to a 25% increase in payments for parents with one child and without custody after divorce, according to the story.
The Utah Senate initially rejected this child support legislation, SB 23, on a 12-14 vote. Its sponsor Greg Bell was able to get the bill reconsidered based on an argument of a “procedural anomaly,” and it then passed 18-11. The Utah House had already approved this legislation with a 39-34 vote. According to the story, these adjustments to child support payment tables would not be phased in until 2010. Current child support agreements would remain in effect until that time.
Just like the stir it caused in the Utah Senate, this child support legislation was not without controversy after its approval. Bell said that current Utah child support tables are out-of-whack and needed to be adjusted. He added that the tables are only guidelines for judges in Utah divorce cases and that the new changes would be modest in cases where there are more children. He added that the potential child support payment changes are in-line with the cost of living in the state.
Other Senators disagreed. Senator Jon Greiner said that people in lower income brackets will struggle with the new guideline amounts and also added that law enforcement officials will be particularly affected since there are high divorce rates in that field. Senator Michael Waddoups said the new tables are based on unrealistic standards following divorce and do not consider additional costs, like having two households instead of one. He said the suggested changes are too much and too fast, and further added that it does not make sense that Utah, a state with a lower standard of living and per capita income, would be charging such high child support payments.
Stay updated on the latest developments with this Utah child support legislation at The Divorce Blog!
