Bill To Shorten Divorce Waiting Period Fails In House

The House rejects a bill to shorten the waiting period for a divorce for parents with minor children. The proposal by Homer Representative Patrick Jefferson would reduce the waiting period from one year to six months. But Livingston Representative Sherman Mack says families need ample time to make sure they’re making the right decision.

“The reason the law was changed 11 years ago was to give families the opportunity to exhaust every remedy possible so they could determine if their family was worth saving,” Mack said.

The bill sought to undo an extended waiting period that was put on the books for couples with children, as lawmakers believed given ample time, couples could resolve their problems. Baton Rouge Representative Rick Edmonds also opposed the bill. He says he stands against divorce, period.

“We stand for that man and that woman standing and loving each other together for a lifetime, and anything that we can do to put a family in a position to stay together, we ought to do that,” Garafola said.

But Jefferson is disappointed his legislation failed on a 52-44 vote. He says the longer waiting period isn’t fair to couples who just want the stress of the divorce to be finalized in a speedy fashion.

“Do we make them remain married? Is that what we’ve come to because the data indicates that a two parent household is the best household,” Jefferson said.