FAMILY ISSUES AND LAWS

POSITION IN BRIEF

Support gender neutral and equitable laws in marriage, divorce, property, child custody, and child support in Pennsylvania.

BACKGROUND

Consensus on divorce reform and child custody and support was reached in January 1980. With strong support from local Leagues, comprehensive divorce reform was a major legislative victory that year.

Delegates to the 1991 LWVPA Convention, noting language in the position that stressed gender neutral laws, voted to change the title from Women’s Issues and Family Laws to Family Issues and Laws.

POSITION IN DETAIL

The League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania supports gender neutral laws which regard marriage as an equal partnership of serious commitment and responsibility for mutual support and concern, where the contribution of each spouse is considered equal, whether the contribution is monetary or services to the marriage and family such as homemaking and child care.

The League of Women Voters supports divorce laws which provide grounds for the legal dissolution of marriage that reasonably reflect the realities of marriage in our society – for mutual consent where both parties agree, for unilateral divorce where one party requests the divorce after a reasonable separation period of at least one year but no more than three years, and for fault grounds where appropriate.

The League of Women Voters supports:

• A counseling provision.
• Equitable distribution of property, taking into consideration all relevant factors; alimony pendente lite (pending litigation), and alimony for an economically dependent spouse as determined by taking into consideration all relevant factors. Marital misconduct will not be a consideration in economic provisions.

The League of Women Voters supports child custody based on the best interests of the child, which shall be determined by considering all relevant factors; and specific criteria to be used in establishing support for children.

The League of Women Voters supports recognition in law of legal separation and annulment.

NOTE: The complete consensus statement, which addressed specific details of comprehensive divorce reform under consideration in 1980, is on file in the LWVPA state office.

Updated 9/1/04

Where We Stand

Government
- Election Laws
- Judiciary
- Redistricting
- Legislature
- Municipal Gov't
- Authorities
- Initiative and Referendum
- Campaign Finance
- Lobbyist Disclosure
- Open Records
- Open Meetings

Social Policy
- Education
- Gambling
- Death Penalty
- Reproductive Choice
- Transportation
- Child Health & Welfare & Juvenile Justice
- Family Issues and Laws
- Fiscal Policy
- Collective Bargaining

Natural Resources
- Land Use
- Water
- Air
- Energy
- Waste Management