The Texas GOP has already thrown down the gauntlet on bathroom bills, abortion, and planned parenthood. Now, they may be coming for divorce. Fort Worth representative Matt Krause (shown above with Ted Cruz in 2014) has filed a one-page bill that arrives with one mission — to make divorce much harder (than it already is, emotionally speaking) for Texans. He wants to end the leading category of divorce filings, no-fault, for the entire state.
Divorce isn’t something that people generally enter into lightly, but the no-fault option allows people in Texas (and many other states) to dissolve a marriage without a drawn-out legal process, so couples can simply divide up their property and go their separate ways. Krause — who is married with at least five kids, according to his Facebook page — believes no-fault splits have led to the breakdown of family unit:
“I think we’ve done a terrible job, sometimes in our own lives and own quarters, of making sure we do what we can to strengthen the family. I think this goes a long way in doing that. I think people have seen the negative effects of divorce and the breakdown of the family for a long time. I think this could go some way in reversing that trend.”
Lawmakers may consider the bill in early 2017, along with another bill (also filed by Krause) that would extend the divorce waiting period from 60 to 180 days. That’s sure to make the process more expensive in addition to acting as an additional deterrent. Krause stresses that the elimination of no-fault divorce will grant some “due process” for any married person who doesn’t wish to divorce their spouse.
Actual question — are there really that many people who would dig their heels if their spouse wanted a divorce? People will always argue about property and child custody, of course, but it’s pretty sketchy to try and force people to stay married. However, other existing Texas filing categories (including adultery, abandonment, cruelty, and a felony conviction) will presumably remain untouched. Proving those grounds isn’t always easy, but whatever, Texas.
(Via KXAN in Austin)