5/24/2005
That alimony bill
Because it passed on the last day of the session, not a whole lot of attention has been paid to An Act Relating to Alimony, a bill that would limit or end payments if the woman receiving alimony enters into "a supportive relationship with another person not related by consanguinity or affinity."
What does that mean? Hard to say. The target is a ex-wife who shacks up with her boyfriend but doesn't get married to avoid losing alimony. But the law could be taken to penalize moving in with a roommate who helps with the kids. And does this recognize gay marriage? They said no on the floor, but this would clearly penalize and take legal notice of gay unions.
And it would ask courts to define marriagelike arrangements on a pretty much case-by-case basis. In other words, a great make-work law for divorce attorneys, except that hardly anyone is entitled to alimony over long periods of time anymore.
The Miami Herald urges the governor to veto it:
Point well taken, Sen. Siplin!
Siplin is also the legal mind behind the Droopy Drawers Bill or An Act Relating to Below-Waist Underwear which never made it out of committee.
What does that mean? Hard to say. The target is a ex-wife who shacks up with her boyfriend but doesn't get married to avoid losing alimony. But the law could be taken to penalize moving in with a roommate who helps with the kids. And does this recognize gay marriage? They said no on the floor, but this would clearly penalize and take legal notice of gay unions.
And it would ask courts to define marriagelike arrangements on a pretty much case-by-case basis. In other words, a great make-work law for divorce attorneys, except that hardly anyone is entitled to alimony over long periods of time anymore.
The Miami Herald urges the governor to veto it:
So while this bill apparently was aimed at ex-spouses in romantic relationships, it also targets an ex-spouse who moves in with a friend or who takes in a roommate to save money. Under its broad wording, that person's former spouse could ask a judge to stop alimony -- a far too rigid standard.The sponsor of the bill, Sen. Gary Siplin, D-Orlando, denies this bill is aimed at policing the sex-lives of ex-spouses, and, indeed, doesn't even get into sex in attempting to define a "de-facto marriage" because "a lot of married people don't have sex."
Point well taken, Sen. Siplin!
Siplin is also the legal mind behind the Droopy Drawers Bill or An Act Relating to Below-Waist Underwear which never made it out of committee.
