For years Virginia law has mandated that parents of children in juvenile correctional centers continue to pay monthly child support. Originally the purpose for the payments were to cover their housing and teaching. However, under a newly proposed bill, that may be a thing of the past.

Delegate Patrick Hope (D-Arlington) has proposed HB 1912 which states: “Provides that the Department of Juvenile Justice is no longer required to apply for child support from, and the parent of a juvenile is no longer responsible to pay child support to, the Department of Social Services for a juvenile who is in the temporary custody of or committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice.” Currently, the bill has been referred to the Finance and Appropriations Committee for review in the General Assembly. It passed in the House on February 3rd by a vote of 58-40, receiving bipartisan support.

It is estimated that child support payments bring in an estimated $400,000 a year. This, despite the fact that the Department of Juvenile Justice’s budget is approximately $232 million. While it may not have a significant impact on the overall budget, whom the bill would widely impact are Black and brown families, as they comprise the majority of the payees.

“It exacerbates existing racial and ethnic disparities,” said Hope in a recent interview with the Virginia Mercury.

Amanda Silcox, legislative coordinator for RISE for Youth, a group that promotes alternatives to youth incarceration, told legislators it’s “truly outrageous that we have been charging families to incarcerate their children.”

“We already know Black and brown youth are disproportionately impacted by our criminal justice system,” Silcox said to the Virginia Mercury. “And this financial burden, which is then placed disproportionately on Black and brown families, exacerbates the racial wealth gap and places a tremendous strain on families at an already difficult time.”

The bill would propose that the payments would go to the custodial parent instead of the Department. However, it would not remove outstanding debts going back to June 30.