Governor Rick Scott has vetoed a bill that would have ended permanent alimony in Florida. Central Florida News 13 reports.
Scott vetoed the bill (SB 718) on Wednesday, May 1st — just four hours before the midnight deadline to approve or veto the bill. The bill automatically would have become law if Scott had done nothing by then.
Florida also would have set limits on the amount of alimony and how long one would receive financial support from an ex-spouse.
The bill would have made it harder to get alimony in short-term marriages. And it would have prevented alimony payments from lasting longer than one-half of the length of the marriage.
The bill also would have required judges to give divorced parents equal custody of their children absent extraordinary circumstances.
The governor said he vetoed the bill because it would have applied retroactively to anyone who had been through a divorce in Florida.
“The retroactive adjustment of alimony could result in unfair, unanticipated results. Current Florida law already provides for the adjustment of alimony under the proper circumstances. The law also ensures that spouses who have sacrificed their careers to raise a family do not suffer financial catastrophe upon divorce, and that the lower earning spouse and stay-at-home parent will not be financially punished,” said Gov. Scott.
If you have questions regarding alimony, divorce or child timesharing (custody) please contact the Men’s Divorce Law Firm today. Attorney Jeffrey Feulner is an experienced advocate for the male point of view in all family law matters.