Illinois to Boost Marriage License Fee for Domestic Violence Prevention Fundraising?
Nearly a week ago, we detailed a proposed Texas law that would discourage divorce by waiving the $30 marriage license fee and 72 hour waiting period to get married in the state for all couples who attend eight hours of premarital education courses. That very same legislation would double the marriage license fee for any couple who does not attend those classes. In a somewhat similar light, Illinois legislation would bolster the marriage license fee by $5 in order to fund domestic violence prevention programs in the state. Illinois marriage licenses range from $15 to $30, depending on which county you live in.
This Illinois legislation was proposed by Senator Kwame Raoul of Chicago and recently moved on to the state House after passing in the Senate by a 36-17 vote. This proposal indicates that the $5 marriage license fee would raise more than $400,000 a year in Illinois, where there were nearly 83,000 marriages last year.
Supporters of this legislation say that the tax is a minimal expense and necessary for vital domestic violence programs that have struggled to get consistent funding from the state’s strapped budget. Some lawmakers still feel the tax is too much while Senator Chris Lauzen wondered why new couples are being punished for problems that other couples may have had. Read one woman’s disdain for this bill at The Divorce Prevention Legislation Blog and stay updated on this legislation right here at The Divorce Blog.
