All,
Greyson was a 4 year old boy who was murdered by his father while in his custody several years ago. His father then took his own life. This happened in spite of the fact that Greyson's mother, who had suffered years of verbal threats by Greyson's father and had recently been receiving more threatening and disturbing messages, filed an emergency petition in court for Greyson's safety days before his death. However, her petition was denied because current Florida law does not recognize "coercive control" threats in domestic violence situations, and it mandates shared custody of a child if there is no threat or abuse against the child, no matter if there are threats from one parent to the other.
HB 97 (Cassel) / SB 130 (Berman) Domestic Violence -- aka Greyson's Law -- is a bill that was filed last year but died in the committee process. It would add "coercive control" to Florida's definition of domestic violence and make it such that a judge could use evidence of domestic violence -- and not solely a conviction of the abusive partner -- to provide protection in the courts for its victims, including minor children of the threatened parent.
The House bill is being heard in its first committee next week (Feb. 14 at 1:30 pm). We need you to contact the Civil Justice Subcommittee committee members below before Tuesday and tell them to VOTE YES on this bill. It is past time to give justice to Greyson and all tiny victims of domestic violence in Florida who have suffered the same fate.
Contact the Committee Members:
Will.Robinson@myfloridahouse.gov; John.Snyder@myfloridahouse.gov; Kristen.Arrington@myfloridahouse.gov; Mike.Beltran@myfloridahouse.gov; Dean.Black@myfloridahouse.gov; Daryl.Campbell@myfloridahouse.gov; Kimberly.Daniels@myfloridahouse.gov; Ashley.Gantt@myfloridahouse.gov; Johanna.Lopez@myfloridahouse.gov; Randy.Maggard@myfloridahouse.gov; Patt.Maney@myfloridahouse.gov; Fiona.McFarland@myfloridahouse.gov; Kiyan.Michael@myfloridahouse.gov; Toby.Overdorf@myfloridahouse.gov; Alex.Rizo@myfloridahouse.gov; Rick.Roth@myfloridahouse.gov; Tyler.Sirois@myfloridahouse.gov
Thank you,
Jean Siebenaler
LEGISLATIVE CHAIR, DEMOCRATIC WOMEN'S CLUB OF FLORIDA