• Illinois employs several methods to collect delinquent child support payments.money image by Bradlee Mauer from Fotolia.com
  
  Illinois employs a number of creative solutions to get deadbeat dads to pay up. According to the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, these child support enforcement laws brought in a record $1.38 billion during the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2009. Deadbeat dad laws in Illinois are meant for parents who are significantly delinquent in child support payments, and specific criteria determine who is eligible. Before it takes any of these actions, the state sends a letter to the parent outlining the past-due amount; he may request a review if he believes the information is incorrect.
  
  

Deadbeat Parent Website

• Illinois operates a deadbeat parent website featuring the names and photos of worst offenders, along with the amount of child support they owe and the date of their last payment. Deadbeat dads qualify for publication if they owe at least $5,000 in past-due child support under an Illinois court order or administrative support order. According to the law, the state must notify the parent that their name and photo will be published at least 90 days in advance. The person can avoid publication or have his name removed from the list if he pays the past-due amount in full or signs a payment plan with the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS).
  
  

New Hire Checks

• State and federal laws took effect in October 1998 requiring all Illinois employers to file a report within 20 days of hiring any new employee. Employers must submit information to the Illinois Department of Employment Security's New Hire Directory, including the new employee's name, address and social security number, and the company's name, address and Federal Employer Identification Number. This information is shared with the Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement. "New hire reporting provides a quick turnaround time for getting the information from the employer to child support agencies, increases the reliability of the data received, and ultimately improves the well-being of the families and children depending on child support," according to the HFS website.
  
  

License Denial or Suspension

• Deadbeat dad laws in Illinois permit the state to deny or suspend a variety of licenses if the applicant owes past-due child support. For instance, the Illinois Secretary of State can deny, refuse to renew or suspend a deadbeat dad's driving privileges if he is at least 90 days behind in paying his child support. Similarly, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources can deny or refuse to renew hunting or fishing licenses if the applicant is a deadbeat dad. The Illinois Department of Professional Regulation can take action against any occupational licenses or certificates the person may hold, whether it is a license to practice medicine or abate asbestos.
  
  

Other Enforcement Methods

• Public Act 95-685 grants the state permission to work with municipalities to immobilize and impound cars belonging to deadbeat dads. This Illinois law took effect in October 1997, and was inspired by the commonwealth of Virginia's success with a similar program. Illinois can also enforce delinquent child support by seizing tax refunds or lottery winnings, reporting the debt to credit bureaus, obtaining liens against a deadbeat dad's financial accounts or property and requesting that the U.S. State Department deny or suspend the person's passport.