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The child support legislation currently being debated in the Florida House and Senate is a blatant assault on women, particularly our state’s older women.
Currently, a spouse can receive alimony in a divorce if their needs are not fully covered by the distribution of property and the other spouse is able to pay regardless of age. But that could change soon. Senate Bill 1796 and House Bill 1395 seek an age limit for child support by preventing those who have reached “retirement age” from paying child support. That means a spouse can let the clock run out, wait until “retirement age,” and then divorce free of any alimony—no matter how long you’ve been married. I’m not sure who this is for, but it’s a terrible public order.
Equally shocking are provisions in the bills that allow a person who is currently paying child support to end their obligation when they reach retirement age. This means that if you are currently alimony recipient, your alimony may end when your ex-spouse reaches retirement age, regardless of what a court has previously ordered or what you have agreed to. The retrospective application of this legislation is unscrupulous and fundamentally unfair.
Both provisions will predominantly affect older women who have spent much of their lives raising families, being housewives and being supportive wives for decades. In many cases it will deprive them of the ability to continue their way of life and some women will even be placed on welfare as they are left without support.
HB 1395 and SB 1796 are moving quickly through the process and must be stopped at all costs.
I appeal to current dependents who will be affected by this change, as well as women who may be affected in the future, to make their voices heard. Contact your state legislators today, as well as First Lady Casey DeSantis. Tell them to protect women – especially the elderly – and stop this legislation immediately.
This is a egregious attack on older women and if we work together we can stop it.
ChrisStanley
Village of Sunset Pointe
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