HR22: relative to fathers' rights.

HR 22 - AS INTRODUCED

2003 SESSION

03-2297

05/03

HOUSE RESOLUTION 22

A RESOLUTION relative to fathers' rights.

SPONSORS: Rep. Kerns, Hills 57; Rep. Souza, Hills 51

COMMITTEE: Children and Family Law

ANALYSIS

This resolution affirms the important role that fathers play in their children's lives and urges the judiciary to ensure that fathers are treated fairly by the court system.

03-2297

05/03

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Three

A RESOLUTION relative to fathers' rights.

Whereas, the positive effects of fatherhood appear from the moment of birth and effect all stages of a child's social, emotional, and intellectual development; and

Whereas, children without an involved father are at greater risk for delinquent and violent behavior, gang activity, drug and alcohol abuse problems, unwed teen pregnancy, academic failure, juvenile incarceration, and teen suicide; and

Whereas, despite these risks, courts are pressured to award child custody to mothers, with the result that 85 percent of such custody awards in New Hampshire go to the mother; and

Whereas, the state receives a commission from the federal government for collecting child support, a portion of which is paid to the courts for prosecuting child support cases; thus, state agencies and the courts are cooperating to separate children from their fathers for monetary gain, and the award of child support may be seen as an incentive for non-marriage and divorce; and

Whereas, divorced fathers are reduced to spending, on average, only every other weekend with their children; and

Whereas, courts routinely ignore maternal interference with visitation, and yet nonpayment of support is a crime for which fathers are frequently jailed; and

Whereas, although the use of parent locator services is mandated by federal law, it is only utilized to enforce support orders, never to locate a mother who has kidnapped the child to another state in defiance of court orders; and

Whereas, false accusations of child abuse, molestation, or domestic violence are routinely used to separate fathers from their children; and

Whereas, courts seem focused on making the father pay the mother, with little regard for the welfare of the child and at the risk of denying the father his constitutional rights; and,

Whereas, many fathers feel the courts are intent on punishing men for being fathers; and

Whereas, the best interest of children, women, and society lie in a national commitment to stable families a father present and cooperatively involved; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the house of representatives urges the judiciary to ensure that, in making any order relative to child custody, the father shall have rights of consideration parallel to those of the mother and that no preference shall be given to the mother based solely on gender unless otherwise prescribed by law; and

That all branches of state government take immediate and appropriate steps to ensure that the vital role that fathers play in their children's lives is recognized and preserved.