The sponsor of a bill that would make it harder for some couples to divorce decided to make some changes to the measure following three hours of testimony Thursday. But also, there were some very good things brought up during the hearing which need to be considered. Couples would have to agree to premarital counseling and, if things went wrong, to marital counseling before divorce. But some counselors, while lauding the bill for requiring counseling, worried about provisions that could force marriage counseling even when there is clear evidence of abuse.
Perpetrators have incredible power over victims.
Paschall also agreed to work on a request by House Speaker Russ George, R-Rifle, to include emotional abuse. Paschall's star witness was Louisiana Republican state Rep. Tony Perkins, the author of a similar measure which passed in that state two years ago. He testified that the bill could address the problems that stem from divorce, particularly for children who grow up in homes without fathers, and the problems for society that arise from that. Research shows that broken families are at the heart of the problems society is having today. Perkins said so far about 3 percent of the marriages performed in the state have been covenant marriages.