Bill would boost child support for poor kids

SUSAN BONILLA.
File photo

Bonilla measure aims to help 2 million California children living in poverty

A bill introduced by Assemblymember Susan Bonilla that would direct more court-ordered child support money to children living in poverty has cleared the Assembly Human Services Committee.

Bonilla, D-Concord, who represents Benicia in the Assembly, said more than 2 million children in California live in poverty.

She said she wrote Assembly Bill 1654 in hopes of reducing that poverty by taking advantage of a federal incentive.

Her bill would increase from $50 to $100 the amount of child support to a family with one child that receives CalWORKs aid. A family of two or more children receiving CalWORKs aid would receive $200.

“It is critical that the state does all it can to bring children out of poverty,” Bonilla said.

“Although the increase in redirected child support is modest, the amount can be the difference in providing for a child’s most basic needs.”