Ban divorce? Ballot effort gets OK to gather signatures

California Secretary of State Debra Bowen today authorized the backer of an initiative that would ban divorce to begin collecting signatures to put the proposed constitutional amendment before voters.

John Marcotte now has until March 22, 2010, to collect 694,354 signatures of registered voters in order to get the measure on the ballot next year. The proposal would change the California Constitution to "eliminate the ability of married couples to get divorced in California."

Couples could still get their marriages annulled under the proposal.

Here is the official text of the initiative:

ELIMINATES THE LAW ALLOWING MARRIED COUPLES TO DIVORCE. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT. Changes the California Constitution to eliminate the ability of married couples to get divorced in California. Preserves the ability of married couples to seek an annulment. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Savings to the state of up to hundreds of millions of dollars annually for support of the court system due to the elimination of divorce proceedings.

--Jessica Garrison

Comments

[FlagDoc]

Brilliant!

[Kenny]

Is this a joke? Sounds like an example of some moron pushing his moral agenda and I can only shake my head at his chez-pah!

[jeff crook]

I will sign. It will make people think long and hard about getting married

[Carroll Straus]

And this makes sense because...?? And it is new because...??? Not enough blood, slow news day?

[Rob]

Hip Hip Hurray!!!!! End the divorce madness so people can get on with their lives and we can all quit making attorneys rich.

[a.m]

wow. that is the dumbest thing ever.

[Jim Craft]

Another thinly veiled attempt by the religious right to cram their sense of morality down our throats. Not that I think that divorce is a good thing, but it certainly should be the right of any married couple to be divorced if necessary.

[American1776]

I have been voting since 1966 and I have seem some pretty ridiculous and stupid props. on the ballet over the years but, this one gets the brASS ring. There needs to be a special award for the stupidest prop. in Ca. history. I Nominate this one. I just wonder what kind of nut will actually sign the petitions to get this thing on the ballet. Can you imagine being forced, by the State no less, to stay married to someone you can't stand the sight of? Wonder if we will get a prop. making murdering your spouse, that you can't divorce, legal!!

[Ed Dart]

I'll bet he doesn't even get the signatures to put in on the ballot. I'm Mormon and even we believe in divorce.

[Melony Faucett]

That is completely wrong!!!!!!!!!! I am a divorcee and there is no way that my ex-husband would have agreed to an anullment. It is my right to file for divorce and if the public wants to save so much money, then why don't we inforce stricter laws for the parents who do not pay their child support?! That would save the state billions!!!!!!! I am not given child support and right now, my ex is getting away with it. The most that has occured is that his license was suspended and HE won't even go to jail for driving on a suspended license or for not paying for his child!!!! If you the voter wants to save the state money, how about enforcing laws that do not permit the other parent to get away scott free for lack of payments! OR volunteer in your local communities as a crossing guard or at your local kidsclub. Wake up!!!!!! Divorce is the only thing that saved me and my daughter. Do not take our rights away for money.

[sheryl mettler]

I do believe that people should have the right under circumstances (domestic violence,spouse leaves,adultery,etc.) to be able to choose divorce. I have had 2 divorces myself, however the man I am with now, although we have had rocky roads behind us, I believe it is to easy to just get a divorce and walk away from a commitment that 2 people share and have children with. It is the resoponsibility of both parties to be mature, reasonable and get couns for the family if that is what it takes. If at that time they split, well don't expect that the goverment will just take care of your kids and wife while you run off and play or work under the table. More important don't be upset with your family over all the petty material stuff and drag out yrs of divorce and alimony,child support because one will get more than the other. That should be thought of before you say I do. I do means forever!!!!!!!!!! not until I'm tired!!! I think the change for the California law is a good idea!!!!!

[GayManforTraditionalValues]

Ban divorce? Absolutely, and I cannot wait to see the Mormons and Catholics and fundamentalist Christians sign on to this. Not to mention all the other religious and ethnic groups that supported proposition 8.

Marriage should never have been re-defined to make divorce acceptable or even legal. That redefinition argument cuts both ways. I hope Mr. Obama signs on to it as well. Cheers!

[David Wayne]

Ban divorces? No way, the divorce lawyers would have to find an honest job.

[Yolanda Martinez Weis]

This is a joke.

[Chicka]

Because obviously annulments are free.

[Ken]

Ban marriage and we would not have any divorce.

[lisa]

you have to crazy. nobody has the right to force two people to stay married. The government has no right to interfere if that is the life you want move to another country

[JesMe]

Bravo! It'll never pass of course. But I want all of those mofo's who supported Prop 8 in order to "protect" marriage and the family to cop to the fact that they are a bunch of hypocritical liars, even if only to themselves. Can't let those homos destroy marriage, but we reserve the right to do it ourselves.

[Joseph D. Phillips]

OK by me, if we ban marriage, too.

[Tiff]

Hell.No. That's personal rights being taken away. First gay marriage and now married couples.
WTF.

No.

[Scott]

this is great, and is apparently giving fundamentalists a taste of their own medicine. apparently it's okay, the Bible says homosexuality is not okay, but the Bible comments a lot more that divorce is bad. so let's honor your beliefs and ban divorce.

[IRENE REVA]

BAN MARRIAGE AND THAT PRECEEDS BANNING DIVORCE.
SO MUCH HISTORICAL/MYSTICAL/ROMANTICAL SHOULD DO
STUFF (CRAP). LET US ALL PICK AND CHOOSE AND
GROW AND CHANGE AND EVOLVE.......BLACK, BROWN, WHITE, GAY, STRAIGHT,NON SEXUAL, CUTE, UGLY,
YOUNG, OLD..........YOU GET THE DRIFT.

[Ally]

I certainly won't sign that. Perhaps people should just not rush into a marriage, in the first place ...

[Mikey]

What if we just banned marriage? Then there wouldn't be any divorces, either.

[KW]

Brilliant!