Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

News

Alabama Family Rights Association Opposes HB333

(STOCK)

By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter

Thursday, March 10, Alabama Family Rights Association (ALFRA) President Kenneth Paschal urged legislators to vote NO on House Bill 333, sponsored by State Representative Mike Jones (R-Andalusia) or to pass it with an ALFRA endorsed amendment.

President Paschal wrote, “House Bill 333 is up for a floor vote in the House of Representatives on Thursday, March 10, 2016. We are asking that you vote NO on HB 333 or submit the attached amendment.”

Paschal continued, “Although HB 333 suggests that children should have “frequent and continuing” contact with their parents; the bill fails to define frequent and continued, and preserves the status quo of standard visitation, which unduly restricts a child to 4-6 days a month with one parent.”

According to Paschal, “Experts in family systems, psychology, sociology, and the like have presented 40 studies, and 112 social scientists around the world have reached a consensus on shared parenting which states “…equal or approximately equal time-sharing with a minor child by both fit parents is in the best interest of the child.”

President Paschal said, “The proposed bill ignores this research. As a result, HB333 fails to equally protect the parent-children relationship with both fit parents, and places Alabama children at risk for juvenile imprisonment, teen pregnancy, suicide, drug use, and sex trafficking.”

Paschal quoted in his letter, Judge Billy Bell, a member of the ALI Family Law Committee said, “As you know, I am a strong proponent of joint custody of equal periods for fit parents, and I think there needs to be a really strong rewording of the present Act to make that an award of equal periods of joint custody to be a rebuttable presumption that can only be overcome by clear and convincing evidence. I am also in favor of a requirement for findings of fact to be made, if joint custody is not awarded.” Judge Billy Bell, Huntsville, Alabama.”

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

HB333’s synopsis says, “Existing law specifies that it is the policy of this state that parents who are divorced or separated have frequent and continuing contact with their children. Existing law also specifies that joint custody does not necessarily mean equal physical custody.  This bill would revise existing definitions regarding custody to be consistent with terminology used in case law and to move away from the concept that one parent has sole physical custody, while the other parent has visitation rights.  Existing law requires the parties in a child custody matter to submit a parenting plan only in  cases where the parties request joint custody.  This bill would require the parties to submit a parenting plan in all cases. This bill would also authorize the court to establish a parenting plan when the parties are unable to agree upon one. This bill would specify additional remedies to a party when a parent, without proper cause, fails to adhere to the time sharing schedule in a parenting plan including makeup parenting time and reimbursement for costs and attorney fees.”

According to their website, “The Alabama Family Rights Association educates others to the importance of the parent-child relationship, placing an emphasis on family, and support children have the active involvement of both parents.  ALFRA advocates safeguarding constitutional rights of children and parents, and supports change to all laws, including the 1852 Alabama child custody law, which creditable scientific research indicates places a negative impact upon children and society.”

ALFRA is not satisfied that HB333 goes far enough toward their goals.

HB333 has been approved by a House committee and could be on the floor of the Alabama House of Representatives as soon as Tuesday.

Brandon Moseley is a former reporter at the Alabama Political Reporter.

More from the Alabama Political Reporter

Economy

The forest products industry contributes more than $28.9 billion to Alabama’s economy.

Legislature

The regular session is now suspended while the Legislature is in a special session. 

State

Peeples most recently served as an inspector in the Inspection Division at FBI Headquarters in Washington.

Elections

Court of Criminal Appeals Place 2 will be an open seat in the 2024 campaign after Judge Chris McCool announced a run for Supreme...

News

The Legislature had their every four year organizational session earlier this month.

Legislature

Chairman John Wahl said the legislation is an important piece of the party's priorities passed at its 2022 summer meeting.

Legislature

Although courts generally respect parental rights, Paschal said he wants to enshrine them as fundamental rights by statute.

Featured Opinion

The resistance to medical marijuana is rooted in the same old tired mantra that always holds us back: We hate any change.