By Associated Press
Oklahoma City, OK – House defeats divorce counseling bill
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Legislation that would require couples to receive at least one hour of counseling before they file for divorce has been defeated by the Oklahoma House.
House members on Monday voted 57-37 against the measure by Rep. John Wright of Broken Arrow, a Republican candidate for lieutenant governor.
Wright says the measure is an attempt to reduce the number of divorces in Oklahoma, which has one of the highest divorce rates in the nation. He says the state has an interest in trying to keep families together because of the high cost of divorce.
But opponents, including other Republicans, say the idea runs afoul of the conservative belief that government should stay out of people's lives.
Two other state lawmakers have filed similar bills requiring counseling prior to marriage and divorce.