News Headlines

Bill Proposes Private Collectors for Child Support

Posted: 2:02 PM Feb 6, 2013
Reporter: The Associated Press

The Mississippi Department of Human Services could hire private companies to handle child support collections, under a bill that has passed the state Senate.

Republican Sen. Nancy Adams Collins, of Tupelo, says Mississippi has one of the worst records of collections in the nation. She says private vendors might make the process more efficient.

Opponents say the state used a private company to collect overdue child support in the 1990s and that didn't work out well.

Democratic Sen. Hob Bryan, of Amory, says people pushing for the change now should instead ask why the Department of Human Services hasn't had better leadership the past eight years.

Senate Bill 2734 passed the Senate by a 35-16 vote Wednesday. It goes to the House for more debate.