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53	53	STATE OF OKLAHOMA
54	54
55	55	1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)
56	56
57	57	SENATE BILL 228 By: Deevers
58	58
59	59
60	60
61	61	AS INTRODUCED
62	62
63	63	An Act relating to covenant marriage; creating the
64	64	Covenant Marriage Act of Oklahoma; providing short
65	65	title; stating legislative findings; defining term;
66	66	requiring Declaration of Intent to include certain
67	67	statement; establishing signature requirements;
68	68	establishing requirements for entering into covenant
69	69	marriage; establishing requirements for covenant
70	70	marriage license; authorizing conversio n of certain
71	71	marriage licenses; establishing procedures for
72	72	conversion of certain licenses; requiring State
73	73	Commissioner of Health to promulgate rules;
74	74	establishing requirements for dissolution of covenant
75	75	marriage; requiring certain counseling; providing
76	76	credit for a covenant marriage; stipulating credit
77	77	amount; requiring claim for credit to be made on a
78	78	form prescribed by the Oklahoma Tax Commission;
79	79	prohibiting refundability of credit; authorizing the
80	80	carry forward of credit; providing for
81	81	noncodification; providing for codification;
82	82	providing an effective date; and declaring an
83	83	emergency.
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85	85
86	86
87	87	BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
88	88	SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law not to be
89	89	codified in the Oklahoma Stat utes reads as follows:
90	90	A. This act shall be known and may be cited as the “Covenant
91	91	Marriage Act of Oklahoma ”.
92	92	B. The Legislature of the State of Oklahoma finds that marriage
93	93	is a lifelong commitment and the foundation of a stable and healthy
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145	145	society. To strengthen the institution of marriage and to promote
146	146	the religious freedom of those who wish to enter into a marital
147	147	union under religious terms, this act establishes the option of a
148	148	covenant marriage, which emphasizes the sacredness and utmost
149	149	importance to the flourishing of individuals and societies of the
150	150	institution of marriage.
151	151	SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
152	152	in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 21 of Title 43, unless there is
153	153	created a duplication in n umbering, reads as follows:
154	154	A. As used in this act, “Declaration of Intent ” means a
155	155	document signed by both parties at the time of applying for a
156	156	covenant marriage license that affirms their commitment to the
157	157	principles of a covenant marriage.
158	158	B. The Declaration of Intent for a covenant marriage shall
159	159	include the following statement to be signed by both parties:
160	160	“We do solemnly declare that marriage is a lifelong covenant
161	161	made before God. We have chosen each other carefully and
162	162	disclosed to one another e verything that could adversely affect
163	163	the decision to enter into this marriage . We have received
164	164	premarital counseling on the nature, purposes, and
165	165	responsibilities of marriage. We have read the Covenant
166	166	Marriage Act of Oklahoma, and we understand that a covenant
167	167	marriage is for life. If we experience marital difficulties, we
168	168	commit ourselves to take all reasonable efforts to preserve our
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220	220	marriage, including marital counseling. With full knowledge of
221	221	what this commitment means, we do hereby declare that our
222	222	marriage will be bound by the laws of the State of Oklahoma on
223	223	covenant marriages, and we promise to love, honor, and care for
224	224	one another as spouses for the rest of our lives. ”
225	225	Both parties must sign the document in the presence of two witnesses
226	226	and a notary public.
227	227	SECTION 3. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
228	228	in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 22 of Title 43, unless there is
229	229	created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
230	230	A. Couples intending to enter into a covenant marriage shall,
231	231	in addition to submitting other marriage -related documents required
232	232	by law:
233	233	1. Sign a Declaration of Intent . Both parties must sign the
234	234	Declaration of Intent, as outlined in Section 2 of this act;
235	235	2. Undergo premarital counselin g. The parties shall complete
236	236	marriage counseling from a minister, clergy member, or counselor ;
237	237	and
238	238	3. File the Declaration of Intent . The signed declaration must
239	239	be filed with the marriage license application at the county clerk ’s
240	240	office.
241	241	B. A marriage license issued under this section shall clearly
242	242	indicate it is a covenant marriage license and shall be in strict
243	243	facial compliance with the requirements of Section 3 of Title 43 of
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295	295	the Oklahoma Statutes . An application for a covenant marriage
296	296	license shall include the following statement: “We, (name of
297	297	intended spouse) and (name of intended spouse), do hereby declare
298	298	our intent to contract a covenant marriage and, accordingly, have
299	299	executed a Declaration of Intent attached hereto. ”
300	300	C. An existing marri age license may be converted to a covenant
301	301	marriage license upon the agreement of both spouses. To convert an
302	302	existing marriage license, the couple shall:
303	303	1. Sign the Declaration of Intent;
304	304	2. Complete counseling on the nature and responsibilities of a
305	305	covenant marriage; and
306	306	3. File the signed Declaration of Intent with the county
307	307	clerk’s office.
308	308	SECTION 4. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
309	309	in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 23 of Title 43, unless there is
310	310	created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
311	311	The State Commissioner of Health sha ll promulgate rules for the
312	312	administration of covenant marriage licenses and maintain records of
313	313	covenant marriage declarations.
314	314	SECTION 5. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
315	315	in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 101.1 of Title 43, unless there
316	316	is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
317	317
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368	368	A. Divorce in a Covenant Marriage shall only be granted if one
369	369	spouse can demonstrate by a preponder ance of the evidence that the
370	370	other spouse has committed one or more of the fo llowing acts:
371	371	1. Abandonment. The spouse has abandoned the petitioner for a
372	372	continuous period of at least one (1) year without justification,
373	373	which shall include, but not be li mited to, time in prison ;
374	374	2. Abuse. The spouse has committed physical or sexual abuse
375	375	against the petitioner or their child; or
376	376	3. Adultery. The spouse has committed adultery during the
377	377	marriage.
378	378	B. Couples in a covenant marriage shall be encouraged to seek
379	379	counseling in the event of marital difficulties. Marital counseling
380	380	shall be required prior to filing for divorce, except in cases
381	381	involving abuse or criminal conviction. Counseling shall be
382	382	provided by a minister, clergy member, or counselor.
383	383	SECTION 6. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
384	384	in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 2357.414 of Title 68, unless
385	385	there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
386	386	A. For tax year 2025 and subsequent tax years, there shall be
387	387	allowed a credit against the tax imposed pursuant to Section 2355 of
388	388	Title 68 of the Oklahoma Statutes for individual taxpayers in a
389	389	marriage resulting from the issuance of a covenant marriage license
390	390	pursuant to the provisions of Section 3 of th is act.
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442	442	B. The credit authorized pursuant to subsection A of this
443	443	section shall be in the amount of Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars
444	444	($2,500.00) for taxpayers filing as married filing jointly or One
445	445	Thousand Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($1,250.00) for each taxpayer
446	446	filing as married filing separately.
447	447	C. Claims for credit authorize d pursuant to this section shall
448	448	be made on a form prescribed by the Oklahoma Tax Commission and
449	449	shall include written certification that the taxpayers are married
450	450	through the issuance of a covenant marriage license as provided
451	451	pursuant to Section 3 of this act.
452	452	D. The credit allowed pursuant to the provisions of this
453	453	section shall not be used to reduce the income tax liability of the
454	454	taxpayer to less than zero (0).
455	455	E. If the amount of the credit allowed pursuant to this section
456	456	exceeds the income tax lia bility, the amount of credit not used in
457	457	any tax year may be carried forward, in order, to each of the five
458	458	(5) subsequent tax years.
459	459	SECTION 7. This act shall become effective July 1, 2025.
460	460	SECTION 8. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
461	461	of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
462	462	declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
463	463	be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
464	464
465	465	60-1-1344 TEK 12/30/2024 4:59:01 PM

Oklahoma 2025 Regular Session

Oklahoma Senate Bill SB228 Compare Versions