The group’s members vowed to push for the elimination of permanent alimony in the 2014 legislative session. In 2013, a bill that would end permanent alimony passed both houses of the Florida legislature, but it was vetoed by Governor Scott. The governor said in his veto statement that he did not support the retroactive nature of the bill and that existing alimony orders should not be revised except by the courts.

State Rep. Ritch Workman, R-Melbourne, and state Sen. Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland were cosponsors of the 2013 bill, and they said they would work with Gov. Scott’s staff to draft a workable bill for the 2014 legislative session.

Family Law Reform said that it would push for certain elements to be included in the proposed legislation, such as the elimination of permanent alimony, the right of the alimony payer to retire at the standard retirement age, and ending the practice of allowing a second spouse’s income to be used to determine an increase in alimony. The organization is also pushing for a formal definition of “a substantial change in circumstances,” which is the current standard for modifying an alimony order.

The revised bill will not apply retroactively.

Contact a Jacksonville divorce lawyer with Richard D. Zasada, LLC or visit http://www.zasadalaw.com/

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The accident occurred April 5 in Lake County, when a school bus collided with a Jeep Cherokee and a Jeep Wrangler at an intersection near Wadsworth. The driver of the Jeep Wrangler was killed; none of the school children had serious injuries. There is a dispute as to whether the bus ran a red light. According to reports, the bus driver is 55 years of age and has been a licensed bus driver for 10 years, with a clean driving record.

According to a report by CBS 2, Durham School Services, the company that owns the bus involved in the accident, has been named as a defendant in three personal injury lawsuits in the past two years. A settlement was reached in one case and the other two are pending. Durham School Services said that safety is the company’s top priority and the company will cooperate fully with authorities investigating the accident.

Public attention has also been brought to the intersection where the accident occurred: the corner of Kilbourne Road and Route 173 near Wadsworth in suburban Lake County. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, between 2004 and 2011, 53 accidents took place at the intersection, with a total of 24 people injured and one killed. It is described as a “high-severity crash” intersection. Traffic lights were installed just last year with the goal of improving safety.

Meanwhile, although the school children on board the bus escaped with only minor injuries, the accident has spurred renewed calls for mandatory seat belts on school buses. State Rep. Lou Lang, a Skokie Democrat, has pushed for new school buses to be equipped with shoulder and lap belts for students. Lang has been working for such legislation for 10 years, with little success.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), school buses are one of the safest transportation methods for school kids. The chance of a fatal crash for children is 60 times greater if they are driving themselves to school or riding with a friend, and riding with parents is still much more dangerous than riding a school bus. The sheer size of school buses allows the force of a crash to be dispersed, and occupants are protected by closely-spaced, heavily padded seats.

Bob Briskman is a Chicago vehicle accident attorney with Briskman Briskman & Greenberg. To learn more call 1.877.595.4878 or visit http://www.briskmanandbriskman.com/.

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