Pensacola, Fla. – In May, SB 1796 was put to the vote in the Florida House of Representatives. Although the law passed by a 74-42 vote to end permanent child support in the state, the law will not go on the statute books. Craig A. Vigodsky, Pensacola family law attorney, shares what Florida residents can expect when it comes to child support payments.
Originally proposed by FL Senator Joe Gruters of Sarasota and District 78 State Representative Jenna Persons-Mulicka, the controversial bill was intended to end permanent alimony and redefine payment structures based on length of marriage. That means long-term alimony payments should be no more than half the length of a marriage lasting three to 10 years, 60 percent the length of a marriage lasting 10 to 20 years, and 75 percent the length of a marriage the length of one Marriage that lasted 20 years or more.
Part of the bill, which has been a point of contention in the past, requires family courts to enter a custody battle, assuming the child will divide their time equally between the parents. Former Gov. Rick Scott has twice vetoed previous legislation, raising concerns that “the wishes of the parents come before the best interest of the child by creating a premise of fair timeshare” and that that decision should be left to the courts. Scott’s successor, Gov. Ron DeSantis, followed the same pattern and again vetoed the proposed revision.
DeSantis issued a veto letter citing concerns that the bill would allow ex-spouses to change their existing child support arrangements, and this threatened to impoverish older ex-spouses who are homemakers and depend on payments. The governor wrote, “If CS/CS/SB 1796 were to become law and apply retrospectively, as the legislature intended, it would affect unconstitutionally acquired rights under certain pre-existing marriage agreements.”
With 2 decades of Florida family law experience, Craig A. Vigodsky, PA is dedicated to helping clients navigate the processes and procedures related to divorce, custody and prenuptial agreements. If you have questions about Florida family law or would like help from an experienced family law attorney, contact Craig A. Vigodsky online today at www.pensacolalawoffice.com or call his law office at (850) 912-8520.
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For more information about Craig Vigodsky, PA, contact the company at:
Craig Vigodsky, PA
Craig Vigodsky
(850) 912-8520
221 W Cervantes Street, Pensacola, FL 32501
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