Senator Golden Sends Message to Deadbeat Parents: New York State Wants You

Albany- State Senator Martin J. Golden (R-C-I, Brooklyn) today is announcing that legislation he sponsored in New York State Senate, S. 1987, that will create a deadbeats most wanted list website to locate those in arrears of child support of more than $10,000 has passed.

The legislation would require the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance to compile, disclose and publish at regular intervals a deadbeats most wanted list of individuals who are in arrears of their child support obligations under a court administrative order.

The list shall include the individual’s name, physical description, last known address and photograph if available, and shall be posted on the OTDA website and made available to local child support collection units. An individual’s information would be removed from the list upon payment of the balance of child support owed, making three consecutive payments, or providing court documentation that they are not responsible for the payments.

Senator Marty Golden stated, “Money is owed to children and families throughout New York City and State because parents are not holding true to their commitment of child support. The dollar figure is alarming and that it why we must increase our efforts to ensure timely and satisfactory collection.”

Golden continued, “The collection of child support payments has escalated to the point where we must ask for the public’s help in notifying us as to where the deadbeat parents are. And furthermore, the fear of public humiliation may also encourage individuals to stop shortchanging their children.”

Statistics show that in 2009, more than $648 million that was owed to New York’s children went uncollected, including $317 million owed to New York City children.

The bill has been sent to the Assembly.