Back in 2001, a Colorado state lawmaker attempted to introduce a bill that would require divorcing parents to undergo counseling prior to getting a divorce. Dr. Laura Schlessinger was invited to support the bill, which made it even more controversial. Without support on both sides of the aisle, the bill went nowhere.
Now, a different politician is attempting to pass a similar bill that would require people who want a divorce to have a “cooling off period” before doing so.
According to the Denver Channel’s website, Republican Sen. Kevin Lundberg of Berthoud believes his new proposal has a better chance of passing than the one in 2001 did. The reason? This one makes more exceptions, including for cases of sexual abuse and domestic violence.
Under the proposed new bill, parents who are considering divorce and have minor children would have to undergo “educational instruction” that would give them a better idea of how divorce would affect their young children.
After the proposed counseling, there would be a required waiting period for parents to get a divorce, although how long that is apparently hasn’t been revealed.
In Colorado, a person can be divorced within 90 days of filing. It is a no-fault divorce system, which means that proof of a spouse’s wrongdoing is not required.
What do you think about the new law? Do the new exceptions make it more likely to pass, and if it did, what are the implications for couples who want to divorce?
Source: The Denver Channel, “Want a divorce? Lawmakers may make you wait,” Deb Stanley, Jan. 3, 2012