The expressive French phrase, 'un cri du coeur', says it all about the Picchiotti bills on behalf of kinship providers of custodial care for their grandchildren. These bills are truly a cry from the heart of good people, begging the Maine legislature to correct the daunting legal struggles they've had to go trough in Maine's courts to provide loving care for their grandchildren. These children have ended up in "kinship care", because of the gross dysfunction, neglect or abuse of their natural parents.
As one might say, "There ought to be a law!" Or, more reflectively, "Where has the law been?"
Listening to the intelligent, very well-crafted analyses of some of these bills by the Judiciary Committee analyst on Thursday, one had to concur with her astute reviews. The bills were frequently flawed with regard both to structure and content. And ... after very thoughtful discussion by the committee members, "OUGHT NOT TO PASS" was a logical committee decision. The bills were often described as:
BUT... the grandparents 'cri du coeur' remains and cannot be silenced by very logical analysis a proposed law. The needs of these Maine children for loving care from a "kinship provider" don't evaporate, because a bill OUGHT NOT TO PASS.
FURTHER, we'd say, "Redundancy, overlap, courtroom confusion and other critiques of the Picchiotti bills don't answer our critique: IF THERE ALREADY ARE LAWS IN PLACE TO HELP THE KINSHP PROVIDERS AND THEIR GRANDCHILDREN, THEY MUST NOT BE WORKING. Or certainly not working as they should?
We smell a rat. A large rat!
All is not well. The Committee needs to dig deeper and understand why the bills were very seriously proposed. Something isn't working for Maine Children and families. We need answers. We need corrective action.
MeGAL is working to bring about change to the "Family Court" system since 2012. We do so through the education of parents who are caught in the process as well as our representatives who are unaware of the issues involved in "Family Courts". For more information please email us at MeGALalert@gmail.com or find us on Facebook.
Felicity Meyers
As one might say, "There ought to be a law!" Or, more reflectively, "Where has the law been?"
Listening to the intelligent, very well-crafted analyses of some of these bills by the Judiciary Committee analyst on Thursday, one had to concur with her astute reviews. The bills were frequently flawed with regard both to structure and content. And ... after very thoughtful discussion by the committee members, "OUGHT NOT TO PASS" was a logical committee decision. The bills were often described as:
- Redundant: covered by existing laws.
- Partially redundant- overlap with existing laws
- Unconstitutional or challenging to the constitution
- Apt to create confusion in the courtroom's analyses
- There were other critiques of these bills that added to the "flawed status"
BUT... the grandparents 'cri du coeur' remains and cannot be silenced by very logical analysis a proposed law. The needs of these Maine children for loving care from a "kinship provider" don't evaporate, because a bill OUGHT NOT TO PASS.
FURTHER, we'd say, "Redundancy, overlap, courtroom confusion and other critiques of the Picchiotti bills don't answer our critique: IF THERE ALREADY ARE LAWS IN PLACE TO HELP THE KINSHP PROVIDERS AND THEIR GRANDCHILDREN, THEY MUST NOT BE WORKING. Or certainly not working as they should?
We smell a rat. A large rat!
All is not well. The Committee needs to dig deeper and understand why the bills were very seriously proposed. Something isn't working for Maine Children and families. We need answers. We need corrective action.
MeGAL is working to bring about change to the "Family Court" system since 2012. We do so through the education of parents who are caught in the process as well as our representatives who are unaware of the issues involved in "Family Courts". For more information please email us at MeGALalert@gmail.com or find us on Facebook.
Felicity Meyers
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