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Status of House Bill 455 & Senate Bill 668

February 4, 2016 Family Law

For those following the Alimony House Bill 455 & the Family Law Senate Bill 668 the following is an update:

The House added the bill to the Judiciary Committee agenda on Tuesday, February 02, 2016.  The Judiciary Committee has the bill on its agenda for February 04, 2016.   The House will reconvene on February 10, 2016.   The Bill already went through the Civil Justice Subcommittee and it resulted in a favorable vote, with the total vote being 9 yes and 4 no.

The House Bill 455 is summarized on the Florida House of Representative Website as follows:

AlimonyRequires use of specified factors in calculating alimony pendente lite; provides presumptions concerning alimony awards depending on duration of marriages; provides for imputation of income in certain circumstances; declares public policy concerning child’s interests regarding time sharing in custody & support proceedings; prohibits court from changing duration of alimony award; provides for motions to advance trial of certain actions if specified period has passed since initial service on respondent.

The Senate Bill 668 is summarized as follows:

Family LawRequiring a court to consider certain alimony factors and make specific written findings of fact under certain circumstances; requiring a court to make specified findings before ruling on a request for alimony; revising the factors that are used to determine the best interests of a child; prohibiting a court from changing the duration of alimony; requiring that a child support award be adjusted to reduce the combined alimony and child support award under certain circumstances, etc.

We will continue to monitor the status of these two bills and post the updates as we learn them. If you would like to read the full versions of the bills, you can go to the following link:  www.myfloridahouse.gov