Alimony and Shared Parenting Reform in Florida! We Need Your Help Now!

March 10, 2016 by Robert Franklin, Esq, Member, National Board of Directors, National Parents Organization

Yesterday I said I’d discuss Anne-Marie Slaughter’s latest comments on men’s and women’s roles in changing America in more detail on today’s blog. I’ll do that tomorrow because the following is far too important to put off.

The Florida Legislature has passed a bill that would not only reform alimony laws there, but establish the legal premise that parenting time post-divorce should be approximately equal between the parents. This is a powerful blow for good sense in family law in the Sunshine State, the fourth largest in the country. It’s impossible to overstate the importance of what Florida has accomplished. Other states are considering similar legislation and Florida’s success can only put wind in their sails.

But the fight there is not over yet. The enacted legislation is on Governor Rick Scott’s desk, but he hasn’t signed it yet. Two years ago, he received legislation reforming family law and vetoed it. So the time to act is now! Shared parenting forces in Florida need your help. Here’s the National Parents Organization’s Troy Matson explaining what needs to happen next.

Family court reform in Florida is happening, and now we need your help to push it over the goal line! As you may know, National Parents Organization’s hard work to reform the family courts is paying off. The Florida Legislature has passed Bill CS/CS/SB 668. The bill now goes to Governor Scott for his signature. If signed, alimony will be reformed and introduce the premise that parenting time after divorce should be approximately equal between mothers and fathers. Now we need our Florida members to do three things: Contact Governor Scott’s office immediately -- TODAY -- and ask him to sign these bills into law! And get your Florida family and friends to do the same thing! Governor Scott's office can be reached by phone at 850-488-7146 and by email at [email protected]. Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper expressing your support for this legislation and urging the Governor to sign this bill as soon as possible. Email addresses for letters to the editor can often be found on your local newspaper’s website. Volunteer to be interviewed by the Florida media about your family court experience. National Parents Organization is being approached by the media, who are asking us to provide members willing to talk about their cases. Some media want parents who have no blemishes on their record but who have been denied meaningful parenting time. Other media want people who have been doing shared parenting who are willing to talk about how it has been working out. If you would be willing to share your family court story please contact Burton Taylor at 816-812-7135 or via email at [email protected]. Thank you in advance for your attention and assistance. Sincerely,

Troy Matson

Chair, NPO - Florida

#alimonyreform, #parentingtimereform, #Florida, #GovernorRickScott