Marriage Bill "Accidentally" Passed

A marriage bill sponsored by Warren Chisum that was designed to send prospective couples to marriage counseling classes (and that would add a two-year waiting period for divorces for those who don't take the classes) was passed by accident by the Texas legislature yesterday -- if you believe the politicians who did it.

"It just got past me. It got past us all," said Rep. Robert Talton, R-Pasadena, who said he still opposes the fee hike and would change his vote if he could.

"I admit that. We're all busy doing conference committees, doing amendments or whatever the case may be," he said. "I know a lot of people weren't paying attention."

The bill had previously, in a move that reportedly would kill it, been amended to exclude its mechanism of "enticement," a higher fee for couples who do not take the class.

Now, all that has to happen for this blatantly theocratic bit of foolishness to become law is for our social conservative governor to sign it.

Awhile back, I lamented the non-principled method by which this bill was being fought. That was bad enough, but I see that I can add carelessness, and possibly underhandedness to the list of what's wrong with today's politicians.

No news story I could find on the passage of this bill said anything about the two-year wait for divorces, but I am sure after all this that it's a safe assumption that the measure remains in place.

-- CAV