By Jeffery M. Leving

Representative Gerald Mitchell's pro-child House Bill 2491 easily passed the House of Representatives in a landslide vote of 77 to 23. This legislation can help many fathers remain an active part in their children's lives, as it would allow non-custodial spouses (who are generally fathers) the right to object to the other spouse's removal of the children of more than 100 mils away within the state. Such a bill is important as many child relocations are motivated by hate and parental alienation, thereby leaving child causalities throughout the state.

Bill 2491 tells me that our legislators may realize the psychological benefits to "children of divorce" in having two parents instead of one. Our legal system, which allows parents to divorce the children from the "other" (non-custodial) parent. The future of our society depends on it, as the United States is now the world's leader in fatherless families.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 18 million U.S. children now live in single-parent homes. Only 3.5 percent of these children live with their fathers. That means we have 17.4 Illinois children growing up without full-time fathers or who are completely fatherless. The bottom line is fathers are vanishing from the social landscape and as demonstrated by the following facts outlined in my new book, "Fathers' Rights", the importance of pro-child legislation is necessary to protect our society.

Children who live apart from their fathers experience more accidents and higher rate of chronic asthma and speech defects;
Seventy-two percent of all teenage murderers grew up without fathers;
Eight percent of the adolescents in psychiatric hospitals come from fatherless homes;
Three of four teen suicides occur in single-parent homes;
The absence of a biological father increases by 900 percent a daughter's vulnerability to rape and sexual abuse. (Often these assaults are committed by stepfathers or the boyfriends of custodial mothers).

Too many children are effectively cut off from relationships with their fathers due to causes beyond their control and understanding. It is to be hoped that these causes are not beyond the control of our legislature.

Any measure that strengthens the father-child relationship or that enhances a child's God-given right to two natural parents is a step in the right direction.

I applaud House Bill 2491 and all that it stands for.

Loop-based attorney Jeffery M. Leving, a specialist in asserting the legal rights of fathers, is also the author of "Fathers' Rights" (Basic Books)