A bill that would lengthen the divorce waiting period from 90 days to one year in Washington was heard Friday in the state Senate Law and Justice Committee.
Do you think our state's divorce waiting period is long enough? Tell us in the comments section.
Senate Bill 5614 cites "poverty, juvenile delinquency, and lower scholastic achievement among children of our state" caused by divorce and argues: "Even a modest reduction of divorce in our state could be beneficial to children."
As the Associated Press reports, the measure would also require couples to read a court-issued handbook that contains information on reconciliation.
Washington state's divorce rate was 4.2 per 1,000 residents in 2010, the most recent data available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The national rate was 6.8 per 1,000 that same year—the lowest figure in at least a decade.
Divorce waiting periods vary by state, with only three requiring a wait or one year or longer, according to the AP.
The studies that determined religiousness by weekly attendance at service vs not going at all found that the religious divorce rate is about half the agnostic. The studies that blur that don't ask about attendance; they ask about self-identification. It may be solely due to being an active member of a community. Perhaps the religion aspect is irrelevant. But it looks like the support Kathleen wants does exist... and the tax payers aren't even having to foot the bill.
Bill
Benton - R Brown - R Carrell - R Delvin - R Hewitt - R Padden - R Dammeier - R Hargrove - D Harper - D Shin - D
I hear every day from conservatives that just hate the fact that the government is "taking away thier freedom" and how they are going to "take it back". Is this how they get it back?
I say maybe we need a one year waiting period between a bill's proposal and the legislative vote on that bill. And a requirement that a manual containing the proposed bill must be delivered to every registered voter within 90 days of the proposal. That way we, the voters, could know what our legislators are attempting to do to us.