DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of
the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of
the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Nancy Landry HB No. 1260
Abstract: Provides for notification that expenses for additional legal and marital counseling
may be incurred by a couple in order to obtain a legal termination of a covenant marriage.
Present law requires that on receiving an application for a license to marry, the license-issuing
officer shall deliver to each prospective spouse, either in person or by registered mail, a printed
summary of the current matrimonial regime laws of this state and the covenant marriage law of
this state, and that the summaries shall be prepared by the attorney general of this state.
Present law requires that the summary emphasize the possibility of contracting expressly a
regime of one's choosing before marriage, that spouses who have not entered into a matrimonial
agreement before marriage become subject to the legal regime by operation of law, and the
possibility of contracting after marriage to modify the matrimonial regime.
Present law requires that the summary of covenant marriage law shall emphasize that premarital
counseling is mandatory, that the couple agrees to take all reasonable steps to preserve the
marriage, including marriage counseling, that divorce in a covenant marriage is restricted to fault
by a spouse and living separate and apart for two years as provided in R.S. 9:307, and that
divorce under the general marriage law of this state differs significantly.
Proposed law retains present law and requires the summary to emphasize that expenses for
additional legal and marital counseling may be incurred by a couple in order to obtain a legal
termination of a covenant marriage.
(Amends R.S. 9:237(C))