March 29, 2016
By Ned Holstein, MD, MS, Founder and Acting Executive Director, National Parents Organization
We previously reported to you that SB668 passed the legislature and was sent to Florida Governor Rick Scott for signature. Actually, although it was indeed passed by the legislature, at the time of this writing, it has not yet been sent to Governor Scott. It is expected that it will be sent to him around March 28 or 29. At that point, he will have 15 days to sign or veto the bill.
Florida members of National Parents Organization, if you have not already contacted Governor Scott’s office to express your support for this important bill, please do so now! You must call, write or email. His contact information is:
Office of Governor Rick Scott
State of Florida
The Capitol
400 S. Monroe St.
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001
(850) 488-7146
rick.scott@eog.myflorida.com
If you DID already contact Governor Scott’s office, you are not finished. Now get three people you know to do the same thing. Family and friends are easiest.
Meanwhile, National Parents Organization and its Florida leader, Troy Matson, have done a good job of getting Florida publicity for this bill into newspapers and broadcast media.
SB668 creates a premise that equal shared parenting should be the starting point of the judge’s thinking in a custody case. And it also allows the modification of alimony orders, especially the length of time it will run, so payers will cease to be lifetime indentured servants to their former partners.
Governor Scott vetoed a similar bill the last time. This bill fixes what he objected to then. But still, that does not guarantee that he will sign it this time. The best guarantee is an avalanche of calls, emails and letters from you! (See Massachusetts story above!)