Senator Fuschillo’s Legislation to Help Collect Delinquent Child Support Payments Signed by Governor

     Senator Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr. (R-Merrick) announced that legislation he sponsored to ensure that parents make their child support payments has been signed into law by Governor Andrew Cuomo. The law allows New York State to continue to suspend the driver’s licenses of parents who fail to pay child support.

     “Using the driver license suspension program, New York State recovers millions of dollars in unpaid child support each year, money that makes a real difference in the lives of children. I applaud Governor Cuomo for signing this law so that New York State can continue utilizing this valuable tool which helps ensure that parents ultimately live up to their moral and legal responsibilities to support their children,” said Senator Fuschillo, Chairman of the Senate’s Transportation Committee.

     Under the driver’s license suspension process, the state identifies parents who failed to pay child support and have a driver’s license. These individuals are then notified that their license will be suspended unless they make their child support payments. Estimates are that the driver’s license suspension process helps collect as much as $10 million in child support payments each year.

     However, the State’s authority to utilize the program was set to expire on June 30th. The law authored by Senator Fuschillo allows New York State to continue to operate the program.