Unfortunately, in some cases, it takes strong action to make delinquent parents realize they have an obligation to their children. The Alaska Legislature adopted the driver's license suspension law in 1996 to meet the requirements of the federal Welfare Reform Act. A delinquent parent challenged the law as unconstitutional and won his case in Alaska Superior Court in 1997. The state Supreme Court, however, overturned the lower court and reinstated the law in September 1998. The child support agency must go through a lengthy process involving three written notices to delinquent parents, covering at least seven months, before it may suspend a license.
Drivers also have the right to challenge their suspension in state court.
This week's actions are the agency's first administrative suspensions since the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the law. The child support agency in January sent notices to about 10,000 delinquent parents, advising them of their debt and that they could be subject to license suspension. Agency personnel will then review each case individually to ensure the accounting is correct before moving ahead with the second and third notices leading up to possible license suspension. We want to make sure there are no mistakes and no pending adjustments that could change the amount owed.