Governor-General Grants Assent to the Active Fathers Act

The Governor-General, in the name of Her Majesty the Queen, has granted the Royal Assent to the Active Fathers Act. The Act was approved without discussion or objection in the House of Commons.

Support for the bill in the House of Lords was lead by the Baroness Windflower de la Bay, the House of Lord's only acknowledged Pagan. The Lady Windflower's support was driven by her earnest desire to see more acceptance of their responsibilities by all citizens, in all aspects of life.

This Act reflects the second half of the Governor-General's legislative agenda announced in his Throne Talk speech at the reopening of Parliament earlier this year.

The Archives of the Dominion of British West Florida's copy of the Act is available here: http://dbwf.net/archives/Acts/Actively_Involved_Fathers_Act.pdf

An Act to Encourage Actively Involved Fathers

The Parliament of the Dominion of British West Florida, affirming that this Dominion is founded upon principles that acknowledge the supremacy of God, the dignity and worth of all people and the position of the family in a society of free people and free institutions;

Affirming also that people and institutions remain truly free only when the exercise of freedom is founded upon respect for moral and spiritual values and the rule of law;

And being desirous of enshrining these principles in public Acts and Statements;

Whereas the Parliament of the Dominion of British West Florida recognizes that no mother should be left isolated with the task of mothering, and no father should be expected to be disengaged from his children and family,

Whereas Scripture plainly enjoins that we should turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers,

Whereas studies show that children without fathers in their lives are five times more likely to live in poverty and commit crime, nine times more likely to drop out of school, and twenty times more likely to end up in prison,

Whereas it is in the family that we build the next generation and each father in this Dominion needs to accept his full share of responsibility for the lives of his children, to be actively involved in rearing his children, to encourage the academic moral, spiritual development of his children.

Now, therefore by the Grace of Queen Elizabeth the second's Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and of the Commons of the Dominion of British West Florida, we enact as follows:

We direct that each father be granted leave from his Militia service for a period of 6 months following the birth of his child, provided that the time formerly dedicated to the national service be dedicated to active support and interaction with his new born child.

We direct that the chaplains in service to the Dominion provide instruction on the importance and methods of a father's involvement in the rearing of their children according to the tenets of their own confession.

We direct that a father be granted leave from one month's Militia service for each of his children annually, provided that the time formerly dedicated to the national service be dedicated to active support of and interaction with the child for which the leave is claimed.

We direct that all Magistrates, Justices, and Advocates take full notice of the intent of this Parliament to ensure that fathers who are not unfit be given ample opportunity to be actively involved with their Children – Divorce and Misdemeanor not withstanding.

We further direct that nothing in this bill be construed as relieving a father of his responsibility as the primary provider for his wife and children.

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Approved by the Parliament of the Dominion of British West Florida on Tuesday,
the 10th of April, in the Year of Our Lord 2007, and of Her Majesty's Reign the 55th.

Granted the Royal Assent by the Governor-General on Monday,
The 16th of April, in the Year of our Lord 2007, and of Her Majesty's Reign the 55th.