Once again, the bill to lower Alabama’s age of majority from 19 to 18 is in the news. There’s a short article about it in today’s Birmingham News. The article is all about concerns people have raised about the proposal (mainly relating to chlid support), but nobody’s answering my question, who is it who thinks this is a good idea, and why?
Are we doing this so used car dealers can prey on younger kids? So we can legally get younger kids addicted to tobacco? What good would this do to whom?
Maybe there’s a great reason for lowering Alabama’s age of majority. I just haven’t heard it yet.
Concerns about the age of majority and child support.
The news article “Bill on age of majority worrying.†What is worrying to me is that all the worry is coming from individuals and state agencies that have a financial stake in child support. The chattering class in this article are family law lawyers, domestic relations judges and of course the Dept. of Human Resources which profit from the breakdown of families. The article had no input from parents custodial or non-custodial.
I personally believe that DHR’s concern only stems from the possible reduction of federal incentive payments they receive for collection of child support. According to data from the US Dept. of Health and Human Service’s Child Support Enforcement Division, the state of Alabama over the period from 1998 to 2002 received an average of $3,375,976.00 each year in child support collection incentives. I would like to know what these incentives are used for.
There was mention made about non-custodial parent’s being required to pay college expenses after the age of 19. This practice was legislated from the bench of the Alabama Supreme Court, and is in my eyes, in direct conflict with the 14th Amendments equal protection clause. Married parents can decide whether or not to send their children to college for what ever reason but, divorced parents are forced by courts.
Alan Rusmisel
Alabama Coalition for Fathers and Children
If you were to end the child support the possiblity exists
that you would end divorce. Why should I stay married when I
can get child support, alimony, etc. Give the kids to their
dads, go back to the old days. If the woman wants to leave..
just leave. No kids and no support.