June 1, 2001

Mr. Carnell A. Smith
Decatur, Ga.

Dear Mr. Smith:

Enclosed is a copy of e-mail correspondence with individuals who have raised questions about my position on HB 369.

Recent coverage in Atlanta newspapers concerning this issue fail to disclose what was in fact going on with the Bill and left the impression that it was dead. The material I am sending to you is self-explanatory.

Thank you for writing.





CBT:vg

Enclosure

Charlie Tanksley

______________________________________________

From: Charles Tanksley [charlie@browningtanksley.com]
Sent: Thursday, May 17, 2001 11:32AM
To: cquinn@ajc.com

Subject: FW: Paternity Fraud

Original Message

From: Charles Tanksley [charlie@browningtanksley.com]
Sent: Wednesday, May 16, 2001 11:33 AM
To: ‘Donald Tynes’

Subject: RE: Paternity Fraud

I have told every person who has interviewed me that I am going to pass this bill out of my committee. It came to me at the end of the session and needed some study and change to avoid unintended consequences. I want a bill that will incorporate DNA testing to preclude fraud. I have strong reservations about a bill that leaves the issue open forever, especially where there is no fraud.

Sen. Perdue, Sen. Cable and Sen. Lamutt are suppose to study the bill over the summer and make suggestions to perfect the bill. We will be prepared to move it at the beginning of the session in January.

The reporter was aware of this but chose not to include it in his story.

Your constructive input is welcome.

Subject: Paternity Fraud

Dear Mr. Tanksley,

From the AJC, "The bill would have made a chaotic situation for children and courts."

I guess you feel that you have the best interest of the child at heart by denying the "Paternity Fraud" Bill to pass or is it that you hate to admit that the Georgia Laws are archaic.

I guess you feel that it is better to have a man paying money that he was manipulated into paying, than for the State to admit that there needs to be a change in the system. The child support system stinks as a whole anyway and in due time that fact will be brought to light, "bright glaring lights".

Will you be standing around then professing that the courts will be in chaos. The courts are already in chaos, from the laws that are pasted that allow a woman to lie and destroy a man life because she had dollars signs in her eyes.

She obviously did not care about the welfare of the child, since she could not even remember who she last had sex with. Georgia technology is about ten years behind and by delaying this legislation, you are going to delay the correction of this problem for another long period of time.

Why shouldn’t a man be able to challenge paternity if he finds that there are some inconsistencies in his "assuming" responsibility for a child. Most of the men "assume" responsibility for a child because the woman told him it was his child.

Maybe the man should have gotten a paternity test in the beginning, but you do not know what was said to "lure" that man into signing the birth certificate or taking responsibility.

Why not allow these people who have proven tests and information to challenge the fraudulent situation they have been placed in, and in most cases under duress.

I am for changing the Child Support System as it stands right now. The mind set is old and out dated. Women are working more than they were during the initiation of the system, but do not share in providing funds for there own children. They live in house or apartments not because they are doing it for the children they are providing shelter for themselves and the children happen to be there as well.

I am for sharing the child support amongst both parents. It should not be a question of continuing the "lifestyle" when the parents were together, it Is a question of doing what is right for everyone involved.

You should check out the Maryland Child Support System, where they split the cost of the welfare of the children amongst the two parents, and add certain incidentals (I.e. private school, health and life insurance, etc.). They just don’t stick it to the father because he is the father.

Why do you you think so many fathers are considered ‘dead beat", not because they won’t pay, because they don’t have the money to pay and there is no accountability for the money they do send. They feel that the money to support their children should be coming from both parents, not just them. Times have changed, catch up.

Donald Tynes
Lithonia, GA 30058