Visitation Interference legislative action in Illinois

[Davy]

.... correspondence from the Pres. of Illinois Fathers


Dear Illinois Fathers Member and Supporters;

Greetings, earlier this year several leaders from your organization undertook a bold legislative initiative to benefit all parents in Illinois who are experiencing visitation interference issues.  Out of this effort was born HB1604.  House Bill 1604 provides judges a set of "tools" to effectively sanction parents who wilfully deny visitation to the other parent.

Many people believed this bill would never see the light of day in the state legislature.  There has been significant oppostion to its passage.  The opposition has come primarily from the domestic violence lobby and the state bar association.  Through the unrelenting efforts of Illinois Fathers, opposition to the bill was overcome and the legislation moved throught the House Judiciary Committee, passing unanimously by a vote of 11-0.  The bill went to the entire House for a vote where it passed with the support of over 75% of the House membership.  The will was then sent to the Senate for consideration.

This strong showing in the House suprised opponents of the bill and they mounted an even more aggressive effort to derail the legislation.  Opposition was again spearheaded by the Family Law Section of the Illinois State Bar Association and the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence.  The opposition was able to convince the Chair of the Senate Judiciary committee to hold the bill and not allow a vote.  It appeared there were enough votes to pass the bill, but political maneuvering on the part of these two special interest groups successfully delayed the process until the session ended.

Rather than giving up or giving in, your Illinois Fathers leadership worked unrelentingly to see the bill brought to a vote.  Through numerous meetings, they have now secured the commitment of Senate Judiciary Chair Wilhelmi to allow the bill a vote before the Senate Judiciary Committee during the upcoming veto session of the legislature.  Rather than by a simple majority, legislation brought during this abbreviated session must pass by a 2/3's vote in order to more forward.

Everyone who sees this letter should be getting fairly worked up over the fact that there are special interests so set against improving the family law system by opposing a bill which would actually help children.

HB1604 sends the very proper and strong message that the state takes a parent's responsibility to make sure children see their non-residential parent as seriously as it does a parent's obligation to pay child support.  Judges will now have the exact same tools at their disposal to address denial of visitation as are available for non-payment of support.  This legislation will have a significant positive impact on improving compliance with access orders.

So what does this have to do with you ?  Passage of the bill is not guaranteed.  Illinois Fathers needs you to become a part of the effort.  Your support is more critical today than it has ever been.  General Parker, Ian Mitchell, Tim Brown, Richard Thomas, Travis Turner, Juan Carlos and Robert Ferrer have worked tirelessly to get the legislation to this point.  They have campaigned brilliantly on behalf of you and your children.   

What's necessary RIGHT NOW is that you pick up your phone and pick up a pen.  You need to call your State Senator and let them know about this bill.  You need to talk with them about why it is important to you and your children.  If you don't speak directly with your Senator you need to tell the person who answers the phone to let the Senator know about the bill and your opinion.  Then you need to encourage your other family members, your friends and everyone in your network of contacts to do the same thing.  After that you need to use your pen and drop the Senator a note as a friendly reminder.

At this point making law is not some abstraction that takes place in Springfield that you cannot control.  This is your opportunity to positively affect your life and the life of your kid's years to come.  Calls, cards, and letters are the tools employed to change the law.  Join your leaders at Illinois Fathers and become a part of securing this victory for our children.

This can't be left to the other guy (or gal) to take care of - everyone needs to participate in the effort.  Five minutes of your time today will make a lifetime of difference to our kids.  Contact Illinois Fathers if you need assistance in finding out who your State Senator is or how to contact them.

Thanks in advance for committing to this effort.  It is this type of citizen involvement in the process that leads to a better future, one that you have determined rather than one that's determined for you.  YOU are the difference in this effert.