“Recent revelations about the huge amounts paid by families who violate China’s one-child policy have raised questions about just how the money is spent and spurred calls to ban the fines,” the New York Times’ “Sinosphere” blog reports. “Chinese provinces have begun disclosing the amounts they received last year in fines after a lawyer opposed to China’s family planning policies formally requested the tallies in July,” the blog writes, adding, “The 24 provinces, regions and provincial-level cities that have reported so far say they took in 20 billion renminbi, or about $3.29 billion, last year. Another seven provinces have yet to respond.” The blog examines how the money is spent and states, “The critics say that making public the amount collected in fines is an important first step, but that the fines must eventually be scrapped” (Ramzy/Li, 12/12).