TALLAHASSEE, Fla., March 18, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Clearing its first hurdle in the Florida House of Representatives, HB 943 passed with a 9 to 4 vote in the House Civil Justice Subcommittee Tuesday (March 17th). The bill is off to a fast-paced start that could lead to the elimination of permanent alimony in Florida as early as October 2015.
"This bill is a step in the right direction toward a balanced compromise and less litigation," says Alan Frisher, Financial Advisor, Divorce Financial analyst and Co-founder of Family Law Reform (FLR). FLR is the largest alimony reform advocacy group in the country. Frisher gave his testimony before the House Civil Justice Subcommittee saying, "Current law is abusive to both the alimony payer and the alimony receiver. The payer oftentimes ends up having to pay unaffordable amounts of alimony--and for some-- puts them in bankruptcy, contempt and sometimes even in jail. Current law also allows the receiver to perpetuate an entitlement attitude. That attitude keeps them from working, which is the direct opposite of Governor Rick Scott's winning campaign slogan, 'Let's Get to Work' initiative."
Thomas Sasser, of the Family Law Section of the Florida Bar, also spoke before the subcommittee saying, "This is something the Florida Law Section supports. We have worked for over eight months with Representative Colleen Burton, Representative Rich Workman and other stakeholders on this issue. It has been a compromise to seek a balance on a topic that has been contentious for the better part of five years. This has been a product of compromise and balance."
The Civil Justice Subcommittee added one amendment to HB 943 concerning adultery.
Florida is currently one of only a handful of states that allows permanent lifetime alimony that does not end at retirement, but only ceases upon death or remarriage of the recipient.
Founded in 2010, Family Law Reform, Inc. is a nonprofit corporation created to change our state's antiquated alimony laws. Based in Tavares, Florida, FLR represents more than 13000 members across Florida. For more information about Family Law Reform, please visit www.FamilyLawReformUSA.com.