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Senate File 414

Partial Bill History

Bill Text

PAG LIN
  1  1    Section 1.  Section 595.3, Code 2003, is amended by adding
  1  2 the following new subsection:
  1  3    NEW SUBSECTION.  6.  Where the parties have not completed
  1  4 and provided documentation of completion of a minimum of
  1  5 twelve hours of premarital education.
  1  6    Sec. 2.  NEW SECTION.  595.3B  APPLICATION – PREMARITAL
  1  7 EDUCATION.
  1  8    1.  An application form for a marriage license shall have
  1  9 attached a certificate form to be used by the parties to
  1 10 document completion of a minimum of twelve hours of premarital
  1 11 education by the parties.  The certificate shall be completed
  1 12 by the parties and signed by the person who provided the
  1 13 premarital education.  The certificate shall require provision
  1 14 of all of the following information:
  1 15    a.  The name of the person providing the premarital
  1 16 education and the person's signature verifying completion of
  1 17 the premarital education by the parties.
  1 18    b.  The number of hours of premarital education completed.
  1 19    c.  Whether the premarital education was provided by
  1 20 personal instruction, videotaped instruction, instruction via
  1 21 other electronic media, or a combination of these methods.
  1 22    2.  Only premarital education provided by the following
  1 23 persons meets the requirement of provision of premarital
  1 24 education under this section:
  1 25    a.  A person ordained or designated as a leader of a
  1 26 party's religious faith or the person's designee.
  1 27    b.  A person licensed to practice psychology pursuant to
  1 28 chapter 154B or a person who holds a license or certificate
  1 29 from another state whose requirements are substantially
  1 30 equivalent to those of chapter 154B.
  1 31    c.  A person licensed to practice social work pursuant to
  1 32 chapter 154C or a person who holds a license or certificate
  1 33 from another state whose requirements are substantially
  1 34 equivalent to those of chapter 154C.
  1 35    d.  A person licensed to practice marital and family
  2  1 therapy pursuant to chapter 154D or a person who holds a
  2  2 license or certificate from another state whose requirements
  2  3 are substantially equivalent to those of chapter 154D.
  2  4    Sec. 3.  Section 598.5, Code 2003, is amended by adding the
  2  5 following new subsection:
  2  6    NEW SUBSECTION.  11.  If there is any minor child whose
  2  7 welfare may be affected by the controversy, state that the
  2  8 parties both agree to the dissolution.
  2  9    Sec. 4.  Section 598.7A, subsection 1, Code 2003, is
  2 10 amended to read as follows:
  2 11    1.  The district court may, on its own motion or on the
  2 12 motion of any party, shall order the parties to participate in
  2 13 mediation in any dissolution of marriage action or and may, on
  2 14 its own motion or on the motion of any party order the parties
  2 15 to participate in mediation in any other domestic relations
  2 16 action.  Mediation performed under this section shall comply
  2 17 with the provisions of chapter 679C.  The provisions of this
  2 18 section shall not apply if the action involves a child support
  2 19 or medical support obligation enforced by the child support
  2 20 recovery unit.  The provisions of this section shall not apply
  2 21 to actions which involve domestic abuse pursuant to chapter
  2 22 236.  The provisions of this section shall not affect a
  2 23 judicial district's or court's authority to order settlement
  2 24 conferences pursuant to rules of civil procedure.  The court
  2 25 shall, on application of a party, grant a waiver from any
  2 26 court-ordered mediation under this section if the party
  2 27 demonstrates that a history of domestic abuse exists as
  2 28 specified in section 598.41, subsection 3, paragraph "j".
  2 29    Sec. 5.  Section 598.19, Code 2003, is amended to read as
  2 30 follows:
  2 31    598.19  WAITING PERIOD BEFORE DECREE – WAITING PERIOD –
  2 32 SPECIFIC PROHIBITIONS AGAINST GRANTING OF DECREE.
  2 33    1.  No A decree dissolving a marriage shall not be granted
  2 34 in any proceeding before ninety three hundred sixty-five days
  2 35 shall have elapsed from the day the original notice is served,
  3  1 or from the last day of publication of notice, or from the
  3  2 date that waiver or acceptance of original notice is filed or
  3  3 until after conciliation is completed, whichever period shall
  3  4 be is longer.  However, the court may in its discretion, on
  3  5 written motion supported by affidavit setting forth grounds of
  3  6 emergency or necessity and facts which satisfy the court that
  3  7 immediate action is warranted or required to protect the
  3  8 substantive rights or interests of any party or person who
  3  9 might be affected by the decree, hold a hearing and grant a
  3 10 decree dissolving the marriage prior to the expiration of the
  3 11 applicable period, provided that the parties have complied
  3 12 with the requirements of notice have been complied with.  In
  3 13 such case the grounds of emergency or necessity and the facts
  3 14 with respect thereto to the emergency or necessity shall be
  3 15 recited in the decree unless otherwise ordered by the court.
  3 16 The court may enter an order finding the respondent in default
  3 17 and waiving conciliation when the respondent has failed to
  3 18 file an appearance within the time set forth in the original
  3 19 notice.
  3 20    2.  A decree dissolving a marriage shall not be granted if
  3 21 there is any minor child affected by the controversy and both
  3 22 parties do not agree to the dissolution.
  3 23    3.  A decree dissolving a marriage shall not be granted if
  3 24 the court determines that the dissolution is not in the best
  3 25 interest of any minor child.  
  3 26                           EXPLANATION
  3 27    This bill relates to dissolution of marriage provisions.
  3 28    The bill requires parties applying for a marriage license
  3 29 to document completion of 12 hours of premarital education by
  3 30 completing a certificate form attached to the marriage license
  3 31 application.  The bill prohibits issuance of a marriage
  3 32 license to parties who have not completed the required 12
  3 33 hours of premarital education.  The bill also specifies
  3 34 persons who may provide the required premarital education.
  3 35    The bill requires that a petition for dissolution of
  4  1 marriage shall, if there is any minor child whose welfare may
  4  2 be affected by the controversy, state that the parties both
  4  3 agree to the dissolution.
  4  4    The bill requires the court to order parties to a
  4  5 dissolution of marriage to participate in mediation.
  4  6    The bill extends the waiting period before a dissolution of
  4  7 marriage decree is granted to 365 days from the existing 90
  4  8 days, prohibits the granting of a decree if there is any minor
  4  9 child affected by the controversy and the parties do not agree
  4 10 to the dissolution, and prohibits the granting of a decree if
  4 11 the court determines that the dissolution is not in the best
  4 12 interest of any minor child.  
  4 13 LSB 2795SV 80
  4 14 pf/sh/8
     

Text: SF00413                           Text: SF00415
Text: SF00400 - SF00499                 Text: SF Index
Bills and Amendments: General Index     Bill History: General Index

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