LEGISLATION LIMITS NO FAULT
DIVORCE
Five members of the Texas House are co-sponsoring HB 323 which would halt "divorce on demand" in Texas and establish conditions for obtaining a divorce. Rep. Arlene Wohlgemuth, one of the sponsors, observed that women and children are hurt the most by the state's current divorce laws. In 1995, she said, 97,183 divorces were granted in Texas and more than 90,000 children were affected. Also ine Dept. of Human Services estimated 96 percent of families on AFDC consisted of a female and minor children. The bill limits nofault divorces to situations in which both parties consent and there are no minor children involved. In addition, a one year waiting period is required. Rep. Leticia Van de Putte (D-San Antonio) cited her experience with children and said too many children grow up without the benefits of two parents. Rep. Charles Howard (R- Sugar Land) said married people have a responsibility to each other and to their children who "need their fathers." Wohlgemuth said that by eliminating divorce as an easy avenue out of a relationship, the bill will encourage the resolution of marital problems. Since divorce on demand began in Texas in 1970, she said, the number of divorces per year has almost doubled. Howard reported that according to the National Institute for Healthcare Research, studies show that children of divorced parents are more likely to drop out of high school, exhibit problem behavior and require treatment for mental health problems. Some 75 percent of pregnant teens and 75 percent of adolescent substance abusers in treatment centers are from single parent homes, and 50 percent of single mothers live in poverty, Howard said.