Zirkin Says Child Support Bill May Need Amendment

A bill modifying a law that allows Maryland prisoners to ask the court to suspend their child support payments might have to be amended in order to pass the state Senate.

State Sen. Robert Zirkin said Friday that he thinks amending his bill to require that correctional facilities tell prisoners they are eligible for a waiver of child support while in jail might encourage senators to OK the legislation.

Prisoners can already apply for a waiver because they have no income while in jail, but Zirkin’s bill would allow child support payments to be adjusted without any action from the prisoner.

Such an amendment, which was offered and rejected Friday, would remove the automatic alteration to child support payments and leave the correctional system responsible for forwarding the paperwork to the courts, Zirkin said.

“I think that a bill like this should not be jammed through,” he said. “I want this to get an overwhelming vote because people are comfortable with what they are doing.”

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