Oklahoma Legislators Hope to Reduce Divorce Costs
Posted on Sep 16, 2009 12:09pm PDT
In Oklahoma, state legislators are hoping to reduce the costs of
divorce and legal separations that are absorbed by the state.
According to state legislators, research indicates that Oklahoma has incurred costs from single-parent households, which have been linked to poverty, crime and high student dropout rates. The state would like to limit these costs as much as possible in upcoming months. This week, the Oklahoma House and Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Human Services also reviewed proposals to lower the state's prison costs.
Mark McCullough, an Oklahoma Representative, told news sources today that studies show that divorce proceedings cost the state nearly $430 million each year. These costs accumulate through the state's public assistance programs, which help single-parents. Representative McCullough said that divorce "affects the government directly".
According to the National Center for Health Statistics, in 2007, Oklahoma had the third highest divorce rate in the United States. During that year, the state had 5.2 divorces for every 1,000 residents.
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