Act now! Indian River County you can make or break Parental Rights in Florida It is with guarded excitement that we share with you about the status of Parental Rights here in Florida. We are at a pivotal moment this week in Tallahassee. This week, debate has been happening regarding our Parental Rights, and whether or not our right to have the liberty to direct the upbringing, care & education of our children should be regarded as a fundamental right. A Senator from Palm Beach County, Joseph Abruzzo and a Representative from St, Petersburg Darryl Rouson have joined together to sponsor Legislation to forward the cause of The Rights of Grandparents and Great Grandparents so that grandparents can petition for visitation rights of a grandchild or kin-child, but they need to be able to demonstrate to the court a “prima facie showing of harm”, or they will be on the hook for payment of all the attorney fees & costs by petitioner who fails to do so. We believe that children in the system, or foster care, who have fit, caring Grandparents interested in caring for their grandchildren at risk, should be able to receive that expression or love & support. This Bill, SB 750 & HB 789 is something that we can support, but it is incomplete without defining Parental Rights. Without our language being added, it is out of balance! Sadly, legislators Abruzzo & Rouson have not been cooperative in adopting the language that we have proposed. Our proposed additional language could change the statute to establish our Parental Rights here in Florida as a Fundamental Right, which has been done in 7 other states already. But their cooperation, however helpful, is not necessary. Indian River & Brevard Counties can now make or break the future of Parental Rights in Florida!! Senator Thad Altman’s (Indian River and Brevard’s Senator) office has added our language into drafting for an amendment to SB 750. Senator Altman has the power to file this amendment, as he sits on a sub-committee that, in part, determines what this bill looks like in its final form and if it ever even gets voted on. This committee on Children, Families & Elder Affairs convenes to discuss SB 750 at 8 am this Tuesday 3/18/14. Senator Altman has not made a final decision to sponsor the amendment, which is critical to the survival of this measure. He needs to do so on Monday, or it is “Game over”. We need your help! It is time for us to act, on behalf of our present freedoms, and those of our children & grandchildren!! Here’s what you can do right now: 1. Pray that Florida’s laws would reflect God’s word, and that Parental Rights would be protected as a fundamental right in our state. 2. Write Senator Altman an email TODAY at [email protected] asking him, as one of his constituents, to sponsor the amendment to The Grandparents Rights Bill SB 750 as proposed to him by Parental Rights Florida. It is not necessary to identify your political party (unless you are a republican), status as a homeschooler, or opinions on other issues. Please, just express your support for this amendment, ask for his sponsorship of the amendment, and indicate that SB 750 is out of balance without this needed language. Click here for Tips on Effective Communication with a Senator. 3. Call Senator Altman’s office TODAY to express the same message. If no one picks up, please leave a voice mail with your name, town (leave out town if not in Indian River or Brevard County) and your request for his action. Call him in Tallahassee at (850) 487-5016 and in Melbourne at (321) 752-3138. If you leave a voice mail, please call again Monday. Again, Click here for Tips on Effective Communication with a Senator. 4. Forward this e mail to individuals that you believe share in our passion to preserve Parental Rights here in Florida. 5. Sign the petition for a Parental Rights amendment to the U.S. Constitution if you have not done so already by going to this page. 6. Consider coming to testify in support of this amendment in Tallahassee, should it get sponsored, on Tuesday 3/18/14. If you are interested in this opportunity, e mail [email protected]. On behalf of all the families in Florida, present & future, we thank you in advance for your action. For The Cause of Liberty, Jim & Patti Sullivan Florida State Coordinators Protecting Children by Empowering Parents ParentalRightsfl.org is a grassroots volunteer organization of Floridians in support of ParentalRights.org and the Parental Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. To learn more about the Amendment go to parentalrights.org
Posted on: Sat, 15 Mar 2014 17:25:19 +0000