House Overrides Veto of "Child Support Pays" Contact State Senators Now!



The Illinois House of Representatives voted 102 to 15 to override Governor Ryan’s veto of House Bill (H.B.) 1232 (Child Support Pays) on November 17. The Illinois Senate will determine the fate of this bi-partisan legislation when the General Assembly returns for the second part of the veto session November 30 through December 2. Contact your State Senator now to urge support for this bill because

  • Families are more likely to leave welfare sooner and depend on it less frequently when they can couple child support with their earnings.
  • More noncustodial parents will pay support under H.B. 1232 because the payments will actually benefit their children, not the state.

H.B. 1232 would allow working families receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) to keep two-thirds of child support collected by the State on behalf of their children. Under current state policy, these families are allowed to keep only a $50 "pass-through" per month, no matter how much the State collects from the non-custodial parent. Last year, Illinois collected $88 million in child support for families receiving TANF, but only $8.9 million was given to the families by the State through the $50 per month pass-through.

Your calls to State Representatives and Senators and your signatures on the petitions have made a huge impact on this campaign to override Governor Ryan’s veto. The bill’s chief sponsors—Rep. Julie Hamos (D-Chicago), Rep. Eileen Lyons (R-Western Springs), Sen. Barack Obama (D-Chicago) and Sen. David Sullivan (R-Park Ridge)—and the National Center on Poverty Law and the other organizations working this bill really appreciate the response of WomanView readers to our previous requests for action. But the pressure needs to continue. Call you State Senator, preferably before Thanksgiving. Calls before November 30 should be made to the senators’ district offices. Calls November 30 and after should be made to their Springfield offices.

For more information contact the National Center on Poverty Law at 312.263.3830, Margaret Stapleton (ext. 234) or Wendy Pollack (ext. 238).