Alimony Bill Awaits Senate Action

April 28, 2015

After the House overwhelmingly approved a plan to revamp the state’s alimony laws, the debate will go across the Capitol to the Senate. House members voted 93-22 on Friday to approve a bill (HB 943), filed by Rep. Colleen Burton, R-Lakeland, and Rules Chairman Ritch Workman, R-Melbourne, that would make wide-ranging changes in the alimony system.

Those changes involve issues such as how long alimony should last and how it should be calculated.

Almost all House Republicans voted for the bill, with only Rep. George Moraitis, R-Fort Lauderdale, joining 21 Democrats in opposition. A similar Senate bill (SB 1248) has cleared the committee process but has not been heard on the Senate floor. Lawmakers in 2013 passed an alimony overhaul, but it was vetoed by Gov. Rick Scott.

Sponsors have tried to address Scott’s concerns in writing this year’s bills.

by The News Service of Florida

Comments

7 Responses to “Alimony Bill Awaits Senate Action”

  1. Lady on April 30th, 2015 3:28 pm

    The woman should pay the man also. It is not JUST men that cause a divorce. You can tell how prejudiced the court system. Is. When an argument arises and the law is called how many women are charged with domestic violence? The. Man is the only one ever charged with domestic violence and there are a lot of women that slaps or causes the man to hold her to keep her from grabbing something to do more harm in a situation. All I ask is for you to look at domestic violence cases and see who is charged and also look at alimony cases and see who is ordered to pay. Before any new laws are activated you Legislatures do you homework! The man is NOT ALWAYS AT FAULT.

  2. Curious on April 30th, 2015 4:26 am

    This isn’t my opinion in every case of divorce, but I will say, if one decides to cheat or abuse let them pay, I bet they’ll think long & hard before they cheat or abuse someone else, especially if that one person chooses to not remarry, that will make the people sweat real hard, because most people count down to the day that the kid turns 18, graduates college, or some even try to dissuade kids not to further their education, or most of the time it’s the other woman that tries to get their man to convince the kid to move in with them, so she can have that money for herself & her kids, but if it’s another adult that’s getting paid, we’ll then I can see the smiles already.

  3. bama54 on April 29th, 2015 7:49 am

    @Molino Jim. What would be a fair dollar amount or percentage income for Alimony? Either way someone will come up short on the financial side. What you create is welfare!! Into day society, it takes two individuals to support a family, but (providing there are no children) when a divorce occurs, they should just divide property equally and go their separate ways. There is a fine line between love and hate, and during divorce proceedings the hate factor is most prominent. This is where greed and “I will get back at you” turns into Alimony payments (sometime for life). I know several divorced individuals who will not re-marry, and live with someone, so they can keep getting the “Monthly Alimony” check. Is this right??

  4. Lady on April 29th, 2015 12:06 am

    I think it is totally wrong for alimony payments after man and woman are divorced. If they cannot make it, to each his own!!!!

  5. molino jim on April 28th, 2015 9:46 am

    @ Joe. While it is true many women are in the work force, it’s because they have to be to help support the family. But with that being said, there are a lot of women (and men in some cases) being the home maker. They have never been in the work force or have been out for many years. They sometime are middle aged and do not have some of the job skills that a younger person has. One of the problems with many of the people laid off in 2008/2010 was that there were younger people trying for the same jobs and with newer job skills. There are exceptions to most things in life– but if after 20/30 years of marrage there should be support.

  6. joe w. on April 28th, 2015 8:21 am

    I don’t believe a man owes a woman an income when they get divorced no matter how long they was together she should get a job child support is a different story but alimony no way I don’t think so sorry ladies but I don’t think so

  7. william cox on April 28th, 2015 5:42 am

    BRING IT ON