From Friday’s release from the Nashville Womens Political Caucus:
In an unexpected development this week, a vote on the Mandatory Equal Time bill, HB2916, by Rep. Mike Bell, was delayed for another two weeks in the Family Justice Subcommittee of the House Children and Family Affairs Committee. Rep. Donna Rowland called for the two week delay and asked the Tennessee Bar Association to assist in obtaining data for the subcommittee on the number of divorces that are contested and go to court. She also wanted data on joint custody arrangements and other information she thought was relevant to the subcommittee’s deliberations.
Rep. Bell, who chairs the subcommittee, and Rep. John DeBerry, who chairs the Children and Family Affairs Committee, also indicated that the subcommittee members have been under tremendous pressure from both sides in the sometimes raucous discussion of the legislation. A video of this week’s subcommittee meeting is available at: http://wapp.legislature.state.tn.us/apps/videowrapper/default.aspx?CommID=9
The companion bill, SB2881, by Sen. Dwayne Bunch, is assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee and has not been scheduled for consideration.
The bill requires that: “the court shall have the widest discretion to order a custody arrangement that is in the best interest of the child. At any hearing to determine custody of a minor child, the court shall order that the child get equal time with each of the child’s parents unless the court finds by clear and convincing evidence that one or both of the parent are unfit to care for the child. This section shall not be construed to prohibit both fit parents from voluntarily entering into a parenting plan that does not give the child equal time with each parent….”
I feel it is time for Tennessee to offer something for the fathers instead of assuming the best place is always with the mother. I know there are deadbeat fathers who don't care if they see their children or not but for the ones that love their children and want to spend time with their children they should have rights. My son has been fighting for time with his son since birth (Nov 2006) and the mother is all about control. She states I make decisions and totally refuses any information about the child. She uses the child in any way to try to make his father look bad, and does not care that it puts the child in the middle and takes chances on his life. It is time for a bill to be passed for fathers to get equal time and decision making instead of letting the mothers use the children to get back at the other parent. I hope this bill passes and I feel there are other laws that need to be changed to keep the mothers from being able to take advantage.
My son has always paid his child support but it is not about money, it should be about the child and the love you show them, ,not trying to get back at the other parent, and not just because the couple was never married that it should be assumed the child should be with the mother.
If I didn't know better I would swear you are my wife. Our son is facing the same exact thing with his daughter's mother. Tell everyone you know to contact their state reprentative and tell them to vote for HB2916.
God bless you and good luck.
To sadpops
I don't wish this kind of thing on anyone.It is a shame that the child is the one that suffers in the long run. It is not right for the children involved. I think that a child needs both parents but in the cases that these mothers are using the children just toSadd ma have control, the judges should take that control away from the mothers. I cannot understand why it is naturally assumed that a child needs to be with the mother. There are alot of sorry mothers out there too. I wish you all luck
and hope that things can work out for our children so that our grandchildren can have the life with their fathers that they deserve.
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