Initiative would protect grandparents' relationship

Grandparents by the thousands are grieving today because they haven’t been able to see their grandchildren through no fault of their own. As of 2000, Washington state hasn’t had any law to protect the bonded relationship between grandparents and their grandchildren.

Death, divorce, non-marital breakups and disagreements are at the center of this issue. New spouse’s don’t want “old” family members in their lives so they move on while leaving the grandparents behind that have been involved in their precious grandchildren’s lives steadily for years.

Another very real happening is parents using their own children as “pawns.” They rip their children from their grandparent’s lives once the grandparents’ are no longer able to give money, etc to the parents. This leaves grandchildren thinking their grandparents no longer love or care about them.

Lori Paine founded Initiative 1431. This Initiative, if 340,000 registered signatures are collected, will then be put on this year’s ballot. From there, if voted yes on, it will give deserving grandparents the legal right to petition our courts for visitation, with our grandchildren.

This has nothing to do with custody. I-1431 has a very strict guideline for ruling on. We have only until July 1 to get the needed signatures. Please call (509) 378-0027 for information on where to sign in your area. This has become a heartbreak epidemic.

Christine Nichols

Richland, Wash.