Marriage Bills to be Reintroduced
 The Michigan legislature is set to begin reintroducing legislation to strengthen marriage and protect children of divorce. The Michigan House and Senate passed similar legislation last year, only to have Governor Granholm veto the measures. Before the new year begins, Reps. John Moolenaar and Barb Vander Veen are expected to kick off the process by introducing parenting plan and divorce education legislation.
Rep. Vander Veen’s divorce effects program will require parents of minor children to learn about the impact of divorce on children, how to minimize those harmful effects and where to turn for help. The program will also encourage parents to develop a cooperative parenting arrangement. Rep. Moolenaar’s parenting plan legislation will provide divorcing parents a non-adversarial means of working out parenting issues.
In her 2004 veto message, Governor Granholm indicated a willingness to sign the two proposed bills if they were independent of several other bills that sought to strengthen marriages. Although the Governor felt the marriage strengthening bills were too intrusive, lawmakers plan on making a second attempt at getting her approval if she signs the divorce effects and parenting plan bills.
Stay tuned to Forum Online for future updates as these bills work their way through the legislative process.
U.S. Senate Considers Healthy Marriage Funding
 The U.S. Senate will soon take up legislation passed by the House that would increase funding for the President's Healthy Marriage Initiative. The bill is a reauthorization of welfare reform legislation passed in 1996 under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Act. One of TANF's goals was to increase the number of married two-parent families.
The House version of the reauthorization bill would include $200 million annually for five years for marriage-strengthening initiatives. These funds would be redirected from money currently used for "out-of-wedlock birth bonuses." Half of the redirected funds would be used for state level TANF offices, and the other half would go to community and faith-based organizations to coordinate marriage-strengthening programs in low-income communities. The bill also defines "marriage-strengthening activities" to include marriage education classes, marriage mentoring programs, relationship skills training, youth school marriage education programs and more.
"MFF has endorsed the President's Healthy Marriage Initiative from the beginning and strongly supports passage of this reauthorization bill," said Executive Director Brad Snavely. "A key aspect of any welfare reform initiative should include strategies to decrease out-of-wedlock births and encourage healthy marriages."
Michigan Family Forum is encouraging interested individuals to contact Senators Stabenow and Levin to ask for their support of the Healthy Marriage Initiative funding. Click here for contact information. Click here for more information and suggested talking points.
Supreme Court Hears Parental Consent Case
 The U.S. Supreme Court began hearing arguments this week in a case challenging New Hampshire's parental notification law for minor abortions. The law requires abortion providers to inform a minor's parents at least 48 hours before an abortion is performed. It is the first abortion-related case the high court has heard in five years.
Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest provider of abortion services, filed the suit challenging the law because it does not contain a broad "health" exception. The Supreme Court ruling is being closely monitored by pro-abortion and pro-life groups because of the precedent it will set for future cases involving abortion.
Focus on the Family has developed a detailed web page about this case and another abortion-related case currently before the court. This page also has a link for listening to the oral arguments in the Planned Parenthood case. Click here to access it.
Bill Aims to Help Prisoners Stay Out of Trouble
 Congress is reconsidering legislation that would help former prisoners stay out of jail. The Second Chance Act of 2005 would provide grants to faith-based and other organizations that would help ex-convicts integrate into society. The bill's sponsors say the legislation would cut prison recidivism in half.
"Michigan Family Forum is supportive of programs to help assimilate inmates back into society and lives with their families," said Executive Director Brad Snavely. "One of our Legislative Agenda items this year calls upon the Department of Corrections to actively work to help parents, and especially fathers, remain involved in their children's lives whenever it is appropriate. Certainly any bill that helps incarcerated parents reform their lives would be beneficial for families and society."
For more on this story, click here.
Merry Christmas! It's OK to Say It!
 Is it a Christmas tree or a "holiday tree?" Is it OK to say "Merry Christmas" in public, or is the more generic "Happy Holidays" what is now required?
Attorneys at the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) have an answer - it's perfectly acceptable to put up a Christmas tree and say Merry Christmas. In fact, ADF is encouraging people to proudly proclaim "Merry Christmas" wherever they go this "holiday" season!
"Christmas is a national tradition, from the earliest days of our nation's history," said Executive Director Brad Snavely. "The Supreme Court has upheld the right of citizens to greet one another with the 'Merry Christmas,' and no one need fear saying it in their homes, in public, or in the workplace. On behalf of the staff at Michigan Family Forum - MERRY CHRISTMAS!"
To read more about ADF's "Christmas Project," click here.
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