Utah Divorce Bill Would Send Wannabe Divorcees to School
A Utah divorce bill would require couples seeking to end their marriages to first attend a mandatory class about the divorce process. With a 6-3 vote yesterday, the Utah House committee passed House Bill 128, which would make sure that Utah couples learn about the legal, financial and psychological effects of divorce and how children may even be affected by a potential divorce. This Utah divorce course would be required for any couple seeking divorce in the state, regardless of if they have children, according to the story in the Daily Herald.
Utah already provides a parental divorce education class featuring many of the same components as the new divorce bill. Utah Representative Lorie Fowlke says that her sponsored Utah divorce bill mandating a divorce orientation course would come at minimal effort or cost since the parental divorce education class already exists. According to the story, the bill appropriates nearly $146,000 for the mandatory divorce education course for 2008.
In addition to the mandated divorce education class, HB128 would give Utah couples considering divorce the option of requesting that courts issue a temporary separation order. However, in order to make such a request, Utah couples would have to attend the divorce education class and pay an additional $25 on top of the class fee. That $25 would apply to the cost of filing for a Utah divorce if the couple came to that decision.
Fowlke believes that people need information on divorce in order to come to educated decisions on whether to stay together or end their marriage. She also indicated that such education could help families better recover from divorce. Opponents feel that this Utah divorce bill is a case of the government overstepping its bounds. Dissenting Representative Jackie Biskupski specifically said that it is not appropriate for the government to be dictating to people that need to take a class in order to get divorced, especially when there are no children involved. We’ll keep you updated on any developments with this Utah divorce bill.
March 27th, 2007 at 9:08 am
I noted this article referenced in several places and blogs on the web; however, no one seems to have picked up the fact that the final bill exempts couples who do not have children from being required to take the course. Their participation is optional. Thank you for spreading the word on this course. I am hopeful that it will help some couples make a more informed choice.