Family Court Reform
JPC UPDATE/Legislative Action Alert
You are Making a Difference! TAKE ACTION NOW!!
Monday February 21, 2011
This Media/Action Alert and JPC Legislative Update Includes:
1. Reminder to continue to write newspaper letters to editor and make online comments
a. WHY? Judges and legislators gauge public interest that way – the more feedback the paper gets for an extended time, the more likely they will print more articles on this issue – that's how we rally public outcry
2. Educate yourself - listen to the two hearings we've had so far on HF322
a. WHY? You can learn about the process and hear what's been presented
3. Review the UPDATE of where the bill is at – Know where things are at
a. WHY? The legislative process is more complicated that most anyone would fathom. When you keep on top of the updates you'll understand how and why your ongoing volunteer work is essential.
4. Instructions on what you (anyone) can do to help the JPC effort at the MN legislature
a. WHY? Change will occur in direct proportion to the number of people willing to get involved - meaningful involvement means taking a project on this list and stick with it through the legislative session
5. Help us raise donations to CPR
a. WHY? Our opposition is heavily funded to lobby against us. CPR has no paid lobbyist. CPR needs "some" funding to provide educational information to combat our ruthless opponents who are mostly the divorce industry.
(sorry about the long email – we have limited volunteers so it's hard to do this with great frequency so we try cram in as much information as we can until the next update!)
Details below …
ACTION ITEM ONE: Write letters-to-the editor and make comments online
Star Tribune article
Read article - http://www.startribune.com/local/114246189.html
FORWARD the article to legislators, judges, lawyers, other interested fathers, mothers, grandparents, second spouses, and OTHER media outlets (radio, TV stations, etc)
Read comments & comment online (see link - end of article) – quite a few of you have made a comment (great! Thanks for the support!), add comment - don't let the opposition get the last word.
THANK the reporter – gail.rosenblum@startribune.com - if you thank her she might write more about you – tell her your story!
Email the political reporter and the newspaper editor – as them to follow this bill
Write and submit your own article for the paper!
Pioneer Press article
Read article - http://www.twincities.com/ci_17321043?source=most_emailed&nclick_check=1
FORWARD the article to legislators, judges, lawyers, other interested fathers, mothers, grandparents, second spouses, and OTHER media outlets (radio, TV stations, etc)
Read comments and Comment online (see link – end of article) – quite a few of you have made a comment (great! Thanks for the support!), add comment - don't let the opposition get the last word.
See letter-to-editor PRINTED in paper against us on Feb 11 2011 - http://www.twincities.com/letters/ci_17353996 (scroll down to "children's best interest" written by family law attorney)
THANK the opinion page editor Mike Burbach (call or email) - if you thank him he might print more about the issue.
Email the political reporter and the newspaper editor – as them to follow this bill
Write and submit your own article for the paper!
ACTION ITEM TWO: Listen to two hearings so far at the MN House of Representatives Civil Law Committee
Hearings at: http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/audio/archivescomm.asp?comm=87003&ls_year=87
Find Civil Law Hearing Feb 8, 2011 and January 26, 2011
THANK the committee chair for his support of the process
Listen now: hear audio of hearing
View Archive: see video of hearing
Link to HF322 to see bill updates
Email all legislators (especially Civil Law Committee and Judiciary Policy Committee) and ask them for their support – explain why – focus on the kids – remind them it's a non-partisan issue. Call their offices and ask if they are for or against. If they are against ask why (find out and email their comments ot us at jpceffort@cpr-mn.org) – and tell them to contact jpceffort@cpr-mn.org or Rep Peggy Scott if they have ideas on how to make the bill better
ACTION ITEM THREE: Update on bills.
Update on bill language and amendments and process completed, see:
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/revisor/pages/search_status/status_detail.php?b=House&f=HF322&ssn=0&y=2011
Bill has had two hearings in Civil Law, a third expected this month yet (where they will vote, public testimony unlikely)
Bill will then go to House Judiciary Policy Committee next – time unknown, but expected in March
Legislative hearings are often scheduled without much notice – we will try keep you posted – or contact the committee administrators and get on an email list where you can get your own updates
For future update – go online yourself at: www.house.leg.state.mn.us, see "bill search and status" then "get bill HF322"
THEN – the senate bill will begin the process in the next 10 days (or so). We have a strong author. We are waiting to make sure we have the best possible language the first time – though amendments on both sides will likely continue
ACTION ITEM FOUR: what you can do – your help critical
Contact as many legislators in the house of representatives via email and phone as you possibly can (all info available at www.house.leg.state.mn.us ) and ask them for their support on HF322 for joint physical custody and equal shared parenting – explain why bill is needed and how it will help – especially how it will help the children – tell any of them to contact CPR Molly K Olson at jpceffort@cpr-mn.org for questions.
Contact as many legislators in the senate via email or phone and let them know there is a senate companion bill to HF322 on the way – please support joint physical custody and equal shared parenting. – explain why bill is needed and how it will help – especially how it will help the children – tell any of them to contact CPR Molly K Olson at jpceffort@cpr-mn.org for questions.
Contact as many media people as you can possibly think of – ask them to follow this bill and give the public an opportunity to weigh in on it, suggest they contact you OR Molly K Olson at jpceffort@cpr-mn.org (email best due to high volume of calls). Media people that must be contacted include: radio talk shows (all major local stations – especially drive-time shows important), TV news stations (WCCO, KSTP, FOX9, KARE 11) and as many reporters as you can contact, and any and all newspapers in metro an across the state. Unless we get MEDIA on this issue the governor will never realize how important it is to the people, families, and children of Minnesota.
Contact the governors office – we want Gov. Mark Dayton to sign this bill – tell him "we the people" want him to sign the bill and the only opponents are the divorce industry – he is not accountable to the divorce industry (lobby groups) – remind him he was voted in to be accountable to the people! Tell him he will be a national HERO if he signs this bill and he will create a positive legacy for children for generations to come!
Call Gov office at 651 201 3400 or 800 657 3717
Email mark.dayton@state.mn.us
Email Yvonne.prettnersolon@state.mn.us
Watch TV show on Wednesday nights – Metro Cable Channel 6 from 8:30 – 9:30pm – tell other people about it – it is the only TV show in the nation exposing the problems in family court.
LET US KNOW WHAT PROFESSIONAL SKILLS YOU HAVE TO OFFER and we can probably plug you in other ways AFTER you have shown initiative by doing the above – email jpceffort@cpr-mn.org
ACTION ITEM FIVE: Help us raise money
CPR is a 501c 3 non-profit. All donations are tax-deductible – who do you know with money and a heart for children? Ask them to donate to CPR! It's a worthy cause. Our opponents are HIGHLY funded (divorce attorneys, domestic violence advocates, etc). One Legal Aid office in St Paul alone budgets $500,000 for lobbying (against us). CPR has ZERO money for lobbying. CPR pays no one to do any of this - we only mobilize volunteers. But copies of research can't even be made without donations.
Please contribute your 2001 membership donations for $75 to show your support for the CPR efforts – it will help pay for photocopies and other educational materials.
CPR Mission: to remove the obstacles that prevent both parents from being fully and equally involved in the lives of their children.
For more information: www.cpr-mn.org
Donations Made Easy: Join/Donate page at www.cpr-mn.org
All donations can be mailed to:
CPR
P.O. Box 130776
Roseville, MN 55113
FINALLY:
Use "forward to a friend" button below to spread the word and tell others.
We need everyone involved – fathers, mothers, grandparents, second spouses, adult children of divorce, and more!
The progress we make is in direct proportion to the number of people willing to take the above actions.
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Center for Parental Responsibility - P.O. Box 130776, 2868 Middle St, Little Canada, MN, 55117, 55113, United States |
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