Introduction: FaFNY meets with leaders of the executive, legislative and judicial branches of NY State Government and Federal Representatives in New York on a regular basis. We also send correspondence on a regular basis on a variety of topics related to fathers and families. To update yourself on activities occurring on your behalf please check this page regularly. Remember to register to vote and to send your hand written letters to the list of the top ten policy makers in NYS Government and let your voice be heard.
You can review "Are We Ignoring the Elephant in the Room" which is a two page letter which has been sent to the NYS Legislature in the past supporting shared parenting, terminology changes, mediation, parental education and family court reform and restructure. The letter is an impressive amount of information compacted into two pages and includes footnotes (and hyperlinks) to reports and studies in support of our positions.
The NYS Assembly and Senate are listed under NYS Legislature Affairs. NYS Governors Office Affairs includes initiatives through the Governors Staff and also through agencies of New York State such as the Office of Temporary and disability Assistance which oversees Child Support and the Office of Children and Family Assistance among others. The Judicial Branch of New York State Government is under the control of the Office of Court Administration and includes Family, Supreme (Matrimonial Section) and all other courts and taken together is the Unified Court System. Federal Government Affairs includes legislative initiatives and correspondence sent to US Congressmen, US Senators, The President and any agencies such as the Dept. of Health and Human Services and actions in support of our national affiliate ACFC.
Postings here include the efforts of FaFNY and also ACTION ITEMS to be completed by members or interested person.
NYS Legislature Affairs: [legislature affairs in depth]
FaFNY delivers a memo in opposition to the NYS Assemblies "Pay Equity" legislation. Check the NYS legislature and federal pages on this site for further information on this topic.
FaFNY has submitted written testimony regarding the NYS Budget. Our research has identified a possible savings of $125.95 million in savings with the enactment of shared parenting. [Cover letter to Assembly Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committees] [Testimony in MS Word]
Legislative Education and Awareness Day is set for Tuesday May 4, 2004 between 9 and 4 in Albany. See the Announcement and distribute it widely.
You can review a list of family legislation here or search for bill by their number or key words at the Assembly web site. Then follow the action items below and send a personal letter and "Are We Ignoring the Elephant in the Room" to your legislators. You can find your assemblyman here by your zip code and you can find your Senator at their web page and click on "Senators" then "look up by zip code".
ACTION ITEM: Send a sample letter to the top ten NY Legislative contacts (which includes tips on writing and visiting your legislator).
ACTION ITEM: Send "Are We Ignoring the Elephant in the Room" to your legislator.
FaFNY meets with the Chair of the Senate Children and Families Committee. On Tuesday March 8, 2004 FaFNY is scheduled to meet with the Chairwoman of the Senate Children and Families Committee, Senator Mary Lou Rath. See the report of the meeting here in [MS Word].
NYS Governors Office Affairs: [governor/agency affairs in depth]
FaFNY calls on Governor Pataki to protect New York's Citizen Soldiers who have a child support obligation. See the in depth page.
You can review information on the Governor at his web site and find contact information for the Governor at the link on his site.
You can review information on NYS Agencies through the main NYS web page which has links and contact information for all New York Agencies and for Federal officials, NY Cities and Counties. Just click on the "Government Agencies in NY" and choose Agencies, Federal or Local Governments.
FaFNY continues meetings with the Governors Staff regarding issues related to Fathers and Families. Meetings had started in 2002 and continue.
FaFNY send correspondence to and receives correspondence from Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance regarding the quadrennial review of child support standards. OTDA advises they are in the process of preparing for the submission of testimony regarding child support standards in New York and that FaFNY is on the list to participate as the representative for the 2.5 million non custodial parents in NY.
NYS Unified Court System (Judicial) Affairs: [court system affairs in depth]
FaFNY Submits testimony to the NYS Matrimonial Commission. See further on the court system page.
NY Courts are often referred to as the "Unified Court System". The courts are overseen by the Office of Court Administration which is part of the entire unified system.
FaFNY requests meeting with the administrative judges for family court in NYC and outside NYC. This is in addition to meetings with Judge Silberman, Chief Administrative Judge (Matrimonial part) for Supreme Courts in NY.
Federal Government Affairs: [federal government affairs in depth]
FaFNY issues a letter to New York's Federal representatives calling on the Government Accounting Office to investigate how sole custody policies and federal monetary incentives promoting sole custody are impacting men's and women's ability to make free choices regarding career and family. See more on the in depth page.
You can find information on the US President Here, the US Senate here, and US House of Represtatives here.
FaFNY sends letters of support for the Men's Health Act to New York's Senators and Congresspersons.