BIG TAH DAH - Minnesota Divorce Legislation Passes - 5/21/10

[Smartmarriages]

- BIG TAH DAH!! - MINNESOTA PASSES DIVORCE LEGISLATION

Wow, they said it couldn't be done and this Minnesota team just went and did
it. Minnesota just passed, and the Governor just signed (May 21/2010),
legislation that establishes a project for helping couples avoid unnecessary
divorces!  

This very exciting legislation blazes a path - opens the space - so that all
states can follow.  Note that this is not a grant, it's a law - and it will
do more for these families and children AND for the state's economy than
these legislators can even begin to imagine.

The legislation will support the COUPLES ON THE BRINK PROJECT at the
University of Minnesota, with the goal of developing, evaluating, and
disseminating innovative services to help couples who have filed for divorce
or are considering divorce.  The project will work with professionals, faith
communities and other stakeholders.  The funding mechanism is a five dollar
surcharge on marriage licenses fees!  I've been doing a happy dance all
afternoon.  

This breakthrough is the result of three years of work by Bill Doherty of
the University of Minnesota, the heroic Judge Bruce Peterson of the Hennepin
County Court, and a group of collaborative divorce lawyers with whom Doherty
has worked closely.  The tenacious legislative champion was Senator Steve
Dille, who is retiring this year and saw this as a legacy bill.
Significantly, the legislative votes were unanimous at every stage of the
process ­ truly bipartisan support.

Many of you met Senator Steve Dille, when he received the 2004 Smart
Marriages Impact Award for his landmark Minnesota Marriage Education
legislation ­ legislation that discounts the marriage license fee for
couples who take 12 hrs of premarital education that has cut the Minnesota
divorce rate in half.  And, you all know Bill Doherty who has set and
achieved so many BHAGs (Big Hairy Audacious Goals)! This one is truly
amazing.  Here's the language - read it and get mobilized:

MINNESOTA COUPLES ON THE BRINK PROJECT
Establishment. Within the limits of available appropriations, the Board of
Regents of the University of Minnesota is requested to develop and implement
a Minnesota couples on the brink project, as provided for in this section.
The regents may administer the project with federal grants, state
appropriations, and in-kind services received for this purpose.
Purpose. The purpose of the project is to develop, evaluate, and disseminate
best practices for promoting successful reconciliation between married
persons who are considering or have commenced a marriage dissolution
proceeding and who choose to pursue reconciliation.

To help more of us implement Divorce Reconciliation projects and
legislation, Bill will present several times in Orlando starting with a
Divorce Reconciliation Friday lunch keynote, a Sat morning
workshop that will go into greater detail on the Couples on the Brink
Project, and wrapping up with a template for how this legislation was
passed in the Legislation Teach-In 5:15pm Saturday.

P-3 - Divorce Reconciliation Keynote

417 - Saturday, July 10, Orlando
Before the Falls: Divorce Reconciliation Project
Bill Doherty, PhD, Don Gordon, PhD
Divert divorcing couples using an online program
that teaches conflict resolution & cooperation skills
and engages attorneys and counselors who encourage
and teach the steps to reconciliation.

Saturday, 5:15pm -  Legislative Teach-In

And, yes, he'll also present the Friday Night banquet on Becoming Good
Husbands (another way to avoid divorce! ) - a NOT to be missed event (I'm
telling all my kids, nieces and nephews, friends that if they attend one
thing in Orlando this banquet is IT.  He'll also present a workshop on Sat
afternoon on his Marriage Friendly Therapy model.
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