24 Jan Legislative Update and ACTION ALERT!
Action Needed to Reform Outdated Child Custody Laws
Great news! Bipartisan, pro-family legislation has been introduced to protect a child’s relationships with both parents. A bill known as the “Children’s Equal Access Act” has been filed as Senate Bill 211 (“SB 211”). The Children’s Equal Access Act aims to maximize a child’s time with both parents during a divorce or separation. You can read the bill in its entirety here.
In 2017, the Senate Judiciary Committee recommended combining two bills from last year and editing language to create better outcomes for children and families. The resulting bill, SB 211, includes feedback from consulting experienced attorneys and judges in family law practice, the Alabama Law Institute Family Law Standing Committee, and the Alabama Family Rights Association Advisory Committee.
The Children’s Equal Access Act (SB 211) incorporates recommendations from research-based conclusions of 40 studies and the consensus of over 100 social scientists regarding child custody. These experts agree that “shared parenting should be the norm for parenting plans for children of all ages and produce better outcomes for children compared to current use, “standard visitation”.
Please call or email the senators listed below, and thank them for sponsoring and co-sponsoring legislation that puts children first in Alabama. Together we can make our voices heard to support children having two parents.
| Name | Sponsor or Co-Sponsor | Phone | |
| Senator STUTTS, Larry | Sponsor (R) | 334-242-7862 | larry.stutts@alsenate.gov |
| Senator ALBRITTON, Greg | Co-Sponsor (R) | 334-242-7843 | galbritton@att.net |
| Senator ALLEN, Gerald | Co-Sponsor (R) | 334-242-7889 | gerald.allen@alsenate.gov |
| Senator BUSSMAN, Paul | Co-Sponsor (R) | 334-242-7855 | p_bussman@bellsouth.net |
| Senator COLEMAN-MADISON, Linda | Co-Sponsor (D) | 334-242-7864 | linda.coleman@birminghamal.gov |
| Senator DUNN, Priscilla | Co-Sponsor (D) | 334-242-7793 | |
| Senator MARSH, Del | Co-Sponsor (R) | 334-242-7877 | del.marsh@alsenate.gov |
| Senator PITTMAN, Lee | Co-Sponsor (R) | 334-242-7897 | trip.pittman@alsenate.gov |
| Senator SANFORD, Paul | Co-Sponsor (R) | 334-242-7867 | paul.sanford@alsenate.gov |
| Senator SHELNUTT, Shay | Co-Sponsor (R) | 334-242-7794 | shay.sd17@gmail.com |
Thank you so much for taking a moment to stand up and be heard today! Additional action steps will follow.
Debbie Zeiger
ALFRA State Vice President
alfra.org
“Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable… Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.” Martin Luther King, Jr.
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