Lawmakers propose bipartisan ‘Free Britney’ Bill in response to pop singer Britney Spears’ cry for help
On Tuesday, lawmakers proposed a bipartisan ‘Free Britney’ bill to Congress to end abusive conservatorships. Representatives Charlie Crist (D-FL) and Nancy Mace (R-SC) unveiled the Freedom and Right to Emancipate from Exploitation Act (the “FREE Act”) during a virtual news conference.
The FREE Act comes at a dire time, as the world has watched as iconic pop singer Britney Spears has made a cry for help to the courts to help end her allegedly abusive conservatorship which has been run by her father, Jamie Spears, for the past 13 years.
What Are Legal Conservatorships?
For the uninitiated, legal conservatorships are legal arrangements that give a court-appointed individual (the conservator), the power to handle the financial and/or personal affairs of another adult who has been deemed incapacitated.
Currently, there are approximately 1.3 million adults in the U.S. who are under similarly restrictive arrangements like Spears, according to the U.S. Justice Department.
The FREE Act
Under the FREE Act, a person under a legal guardianship or conservatorship would have the right to petition the court to have their court-appointed guardian replaced with a public guardian.
The Act would also guarantee that individuals under guardianships are assigned to an independent case worker – avoiding potential for conflict of interest or undue influence, requiring case workers and public guardians to disclose their finances.
The legislation would additionally require states to provide an “up to date” database on how many people are under guardianship or conservatorships.
“Under the FREE Act, we would Free Britney along with the countless number of seniors and persons with disabilities being abused and exploited by the broken system,” Crist said in a statement. The Act has been narrowly crafted to attract further bipartisanship support and “has the greatest chance of success.”
Spears’ Cry For Help
Last month, Spears broke her long-anticipated silence about her conservatorship in a hearing, pleading with a judge to end her “abusive” arrangement, revealing horrific details and accounts of being forced to perform, being made to use birth control despite wanting a baby, and putting on lithium against her will.
Many celebrities have come to Spears’ aid and call, bringing the #FreeBritney movement to life and thus, Mace’s FREE Act before Congress. On Tuesday, Mace thanked Spears for “her courage” to come forward about her allegedly abusive conservatorship experience, bringing this harsh truth to light.
Spears’ case and the heightened attention on conservatorships followed the February release of The New York Times documentary “Framing Britney Spears,” which examines her court-ordered conservatorship that’s been in place since 2008.
“Her situation is a nightmare. If it can happen to Britney Spears, it can happen to anyone in this country,” Mace said, standing before a “Free Britney” poster.
