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December 1998 R-Kids Newsletter
PARENTAL COOPERATION TASK FORCE
The effort to get a parenting plan bill last year resulted in the formation of a Minnesota Supreme Court Task force, known as the "Parental Cooperation Task Force". This task force is currently meeting (it started Sept. 3rd). Its purpose is to produce a report of recommendations (changes to current law) to the Legislature, due on January 15, 2000. The issues they are considering are the same ones that came to the fore in the parenting plan bill effort of last year. We urge all interested parties to attend these meetings.
You may contact Tori Jo Wible, Staff Attorney, Minnesota Supreme Court, at 651-297-7587, and request a copy of the current proceedings (handouts), as well as all proceedings to date. This will include meeting schedules and rosters etc.
The meetings are held from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month in Room 230 of the Minnesota Judicial Center located at 25 Constitution Avenue, St. Paul. Thus, the meeting dates are as follows:
1/14/99, 2/11/99, 3/11/99, 4/8/99, 5/13/99, 6/10/99, 7/8/99, 8/12/99, 9/9/99, 10/14/99, 11/11/99, 12/9/99.
Robert Carrillo of R-KIDS is a member of the task force. The complete roster is available at the R-KIDS website.
ANOKA COUNTY
If you live in ANOKA county, and you have been deprived of parental rights and/or otherwise discriminated against in regards to your children, please call Mr. Bernie Countryman, 612-780-8775 (home), or 612-785-9346 (home fax). Mr. Countryman has a bill to modify 609.26 with house and senate authors and subcommittee approval to force gender equity in the application of this criminal statute regarding denial of parental rights. He is also pursuing action in ANOKA county. What he needs now is testimony. If this is you, please call, please help.
UPCOMING LEGISLATION
There will be a bill, authored by Sen. Leo Foley, to change the ALJ system. It would basically put the current system into the judicial branch rather than the executive branch. In other words, the child support judges would work for district court judges, rather than a political branch of government. What will happen regarding this bill is likely to be influenced by the Supreme Court's decision in the case finding the administrative law system unconstitutional.
There is another bill regarding a new uniform version of the interstate child custody jurisdiction act. This is expected to pass without much opposition.
R-KIDS has not had an opportunity to review and take a position on any of these bills as of this time.
UPCOMING MEETINGS
R-KIDS hold its monthly meetings for all members, on the third Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the Brookdale library, at Shingle Creek Drive off Highway 94 in Brooklyn Center. Future meeting dates are January 21, February 18, and March 18. Topics and speakers will be announced.
Board of Directors meetings are held on the first Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m., at Land O Lakes in Shoreview.
REPORT FINDS THAT FREQUENT MOVES HAMPER CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT.
A report by the Kids Mobility Project, dated March 1998, found that children who move frequently did worse in school then those who had more stability. Part of this is due to the stress related to frequent moves, as well as frequent absences from school.
It is hoped that this report might be persuasive to judges, or the legislature, in trying to reverse or overcome the current presumptions in the law, which favor moves out of state. The current law is based upon the fallacy that allowing a child to move with the custodial parent will result in greater stability. This disregards the facts that uprooting a child from the other parent, grandparents, extended family, friends, neighborhoods, and a routine, can have a disastrous effect upon a child's emotional well being.
Copies of this report can be obtained by calling (612) 375-9644.
KEEP WATCHING FOR MORE NEWS
This is a short newsletter; we had been hoping to have more news on pending legislation, the impact Jesse Ventura might have upon R-KIDS' cause, and the MN Supreme Court decision in the case finding the ALJ system unconstitutional. If you have any news on the first two items, contact newsletter editor Tim Theisen at 612-421-0965, or ttheisen@bitstream.net. We usually don't do a newsletter during the legislative session (January-May), so the best way to stay updated is to attend monthly meetings, check in at the R-KIDS website, or call the hotline. Those of you on our e-mailing list may also get occasional electronic bulletins.
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