License suspension program helps increase collection of child support payments
by Wyoming Game & Fish
October 29, 2012
The threat of losing hunting and fishing privileges in Wyoming has helped improve collection of child support payments from individuals who are in arrears on their support payments in Wyoming.
In 2004, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department in conjunction with the Wyoming Department of Family Services began a program where individuals who were not making their legally obligated child support payments were cross checked with hunting and fishing license databases to identify persons who purchase hunting and fishing licenses and were also not current on support payments.
In the ensuing years there have been 1,751 individual cases identified fitting both profiles. Those individuals were sent letters informing them non support could result in court revocation of hunting and fishing license privileges. In response, 1,441 of those cases made at least one payment which have totaled $52,589,000 since the program began. For those who still neglected to make payments, 134 have received license suspensions and of those, 111 have made at least one payment after the suspension resulting in payments of nearly $1,261,000.
WGFD Chief Fiscal Officer Rich Reynders said it is obvious hunting and fishing is important to Wyoming people. There are other states that have somewhat similar programs and have met with success in collecting payments," Reynders said. "But, if it takes the possibility of losing hunting and fishing privileges to serve as motivation to keep child support payments current, the program is accomplishing its purpose."
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