For the past few years, certain lawmakers in Mississippi have been pushing to allow easy divorce. But, guess what, a divorce is not hard to get in Mississippi, which is why we ALREADY have one of the highest divorce rates in the country. This bad idea would make EASY divorce EVEN EASIER … undermining marriage, tearing apart families, and hurting vulnerable women and children.
That is why I’m asking you to contact your Mississippi House member and urge them to vote NO on SB 2535.
SB 2535 would remove legal protections for vulnerable spouses wishing to save their marriage. SB 2535 would let either spouse obtain a divorce without the other spouse’s consent and without showing the other spouse is at fault.
For the past few years, bills like SB 2535 have passed the Mississippi state Senate, but the House has stood up for marriage and killed the bills. As in past years, SB 2535 has passed the full Senate and has been sent to the House. It has been referred to the Judiciary A Committee, chaired by Rep. Joey Hood.
Please call and email your House member and ask them to vote NO! on SB 2535.
Under current Mississippi law, a spouse may get a divorce by proving the other spouse committed one of twelve “fault” grounds for divorce, including adultery; physical abuse; emotional or verbal abuse; and habitual drunkenness or drug use.
Current law also allows for “no-fault” divorce. But no-fault divorce may only be granted if both spouses AGREE to the divorce. The judge cannot just decide the marriage is “over,” based on the complaint of one spouse.
SB 2535 would change all this and allow one spouse to convince a judge there has been “an irretrievable breakdown of the marriage.” That is lawyer-speak for “just not feeling it anymore.”
Imagine this scenario: A husband wants to leave his wife for his mistress, but the wife wants to reconcile and won’t file for divorce. For the first time in Mississippi history, SB 2535 would allow the unfaithful husband to get his way if he convinces the judge the marriage is “over.”
Multiple studies show one-sided divorce laws are unfair and hurt women and children, resulting in greater poverty, stress, and welfare usage.
Mississippi already has one of the highest divorce rates in the country. We also suffer from one of the highest out-of-wedlock birth rates in the country. State lawmakers should protect marriage, instead of making it easier for one spouse to abandon the other.
TAKE ACTION
Make a phone call to Speaker Jason White and ask him to kill this unfair, anti-marriage bill. You can reach his office at: 601-359-3300.
Email your Mississippi state representative and tell them to vote No! on One-Sided, Unfair Divorce (SB 2535).
