Oklahoma lawmakers spike sensible child-support bill

Basically, deadbeat dads (or moms) would have been forced to pay a fee and lose tax refund money when they fail to do financially right by their children. That seems like common sense to us. Yet the measure failed 47-46, needing 51 votes to pass.

Currently, Nelson noted, taxpayers are covering the cost of fees required for collection efforts; the proposed rules would have placed that burden back on those creating the expense in the first place. Critics called it a backdoor effort to fund DHS through fee increases and said it was unfair to add to the burden of those who struggle to pay child support.

We don't see how the fee is so egregious. Some may honestly struggle to make payments, but too often delinquent child support is just a form of child neglect.

State Rep. Mike Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City, actually suggested the fee should be assessed on the child or the custodial parent, since they and not the deadbeat parent get the benefit of collecting the delinquent child support payment. We wish that were a joke.

Unfortunately, dozens of lawmakers sided with the deadbeats and against the children needing financial support. We wish that were a joke, too.