Urge the KY General Assembly to Protect Marriage & Oppose HB 109

Rep. Stephanie Dietz has introduced HB 109, AN ACT relating to the dissolution of marriage. This bill would eliminate an important 60-day waiting period before a divorce may be finalized when kids are at issue, in certain circumstances. We believe this is the wrong direction for the law to be moving. HB 109 passed the House Families and Children Committee on Thursday, February 5 and could receive a full House vote at any time.

Kentucky, with only a 60-day waiting period for divorces with children, already has among the most lenient and shortest in the nation of states with waiting periods. Many states have considerably longer waiting periods, and some research has shown that states with longer waiting periods have lower divorce rates. Waiting periods are beneficial for several reasons - they encourage reconciliations, affirm the importance of the marriage commitment, and can be fairer to the spouse who is being left.

Further, the numerous harms of divorce on children are devastating - negative impacts on children’s learning capacity and education, increases in drug and alcohol abuse, violence and physical abuse, increases in behavioral, emotional, and psychiatric risks, including suicide, and even an astounding decrease in life expectancy. Divorce also creates devastating emotional and financial problems for both husband and wife, mother and father.

Kentucky and the entire nation’s embrace of unilateral, no-fault divorce has weakened the institution of marriage, with disastrous fiscal, societal, and human consequences. A part of meaningful divorce reform should include looking to increase Kentucky's waiting period for divorce, not eliminating it.

Please contact your state representative and House leadership, asking them to protect marriage and oppose HB 109.

Urge the KY General Assembly to Oppose HB 109!

Complete info below, then you can contact your State Sen. & Rep. on the next page!