Oklahoma Lawmaker Takes On Divorce

By Latoya Silmon, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- An Oklahoma state lawmaker is on a mission to save your marriage. 

Seventy percent of Oklahoma marriages take place at church, yet state Representative Mark McCullough of Sapulpa says Oklahoma ranks second only behind Nevada for divorce. 

McCullough says it's more than a family issue; it's an economic one that's costing the state millions of dollars.

A person's wedding day is often said to be the best day of one's life. But for some couples, life turns sour after they say I do. 

"You have to have a couple willing to do what it takes," said Terry Buxton. 

It's a message Pastor Terry Buxton preaches to the couples like Tshaka Rivers and Tamisa Moore.  They're getting married in six months. 

"Now I just can't stop thinking about it.  I just can't wait for the day now," said Tamisha Moore. 

They're in couple's counseling.  It's part of partnership between counselors like Buxton and the Oklahoma Marriage Initiative, but what about those who never sit in for a lesson? 

Well, one state lawmaker is trying to reach couples beyond the pulpit.  He says it's for everyone's financial benefit too. 

"Oklahoma alone spends nearly $430 million a year on the cost of unwed childbearing and divorce and that's a very conservative estimate," said Rep Mark McCullough. 

State House Bill 2634 would require every couple to go to at least 8 hours of counseling before they get a marriage license. 

The legislation also requires couples with minor children to go through mandatory pre-divorce education before a divorce can be granted.

Counseling's not a totally foreign concept. 

Right now, Oklahoma couples can volunteer for 20 hours or more and get their license for just five bucks, but McCollough says it's time to make some form of counseling mandatory.

Tshaka agrees with pre-marriage counseling, but he didn't always.  This is his second try for happily ever after.  He didn't seek advice the first time around.

"Not at all. I was one that felt like I don't need no psychiatrist or no counselor to tell me how to make it work, however I was wrong," said Tshaka Rivers. 

So he's trying to make it right now that he believes he has Ms. Right. 

"I wasn't going to let myself pass this moment. It's been on and popping' from there," said Tshaka Rivers. 

And now that he knows what to do, he says he's ready to say it too.

State House Bill 2634 was approved by the state House Judiciary Committee on a 6-5 vote.  Now it goes to a full vote in the state House.