Missouri law allowing divorces during pregnancy goes into effect Aug. 28
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
On Aug. 28, pregnancy will no longer be a determining factor for delaying a divorce, updating an over 50-year-old state rule.
House Bill 1908 was signed by Gov. Mike Kehoe in April and adds the text, "Pregnancy status shall not prevent the court from entering a judgment of dissolution of marriage or legal separation," to the Missouri constitution.
"I didn't want the decision left with the judge, I wanted the decision left with the person seeking the divorce, for whatever reason that might be," bill sponsor Rep. Cecelie Williams (R-Dittmer) said.
Dittmer herself was involved in a marriage with relationship violence and later tried to file for divorce in April 2005 but was unable to since she was pregnant.
"In the state of Missouri, you can file for divorce, you just don't commonly finalize it. However, my situation, I couldn't even, I wasn't even allowed to file for divorce," Williams said.
According to the CDC, around 6% of new moms have experienced relationship violence with their partner. More than 45% of homicides of new moms or pregnant women are connected to relationship violence.
"A pregnant survivor who has made the decision to end a marriage should not have the legal system require them to remain married until after the birth of their child," Michele Snodderley, executive director of domestic and sexual violence shelter True North, said in a statement.
Snodderley added the bill helps remove barriers.
"When you file for divorce, you're more likely to get an apartment lease because currently, if you have a mortgage, you already have an obligation over here. But if they see that you're going through a divorce, then you could qualify," Williams said. "If you need assistance for food stamps, they're going off of your income now instead of adding your spouse's into that, there's a lot of things that help a woman gain her independence."
The bill will also affect men looking to file for divorce.
"It also allows men to leave as well, especially if their wife is pregnant with a baby that's not theirs, and just because they're legally married," Williams said.
Other states, including Arkansas, California and Texas, frequently do not allow divorce during pregnancy.
"This barrier has been used for control," Williams said. "We don't do it if the husband or wife have cancer and are going through cancer treatments, we don't make that a contingency of a divorce, we shouldn't make pregnancy a contingency of a divorce either."
