AL HB374

Requires married couples with minor children (biological or adoptive children 16 years of age and under) to complete a four-hour marriage dissolution education program within 120 days prior to filing a petition, joint petition, marital termination agreement, or stipulated judgment and decree in divorce or separation actions.

Circuit court clerk shall not accept divorce filings without a Certificate of Completion of Education Requirement, except the respondent has 120 days from service of petition to comply, and judges may waive the requirement at their sole discretion.

Programs may be face-to-face or online, must be supervised by professional family life educators or licensed mental health professionals, and must include content on constructive parenting (at least 75 percent of program time), legal process (at least 5 percent), and reconciliation options (at least 5 percent).

Individuals earning less than 200 percent of federal poverty guidelines or eligible for in forma pauperis status shall receive fee waivers; program costs shall not exceed $75 per person, with each education program responsible for collecting fees and determining waiver eligibility.

Act becomes effective January 1, 2015, and applies only to proceedings where the initial pleading is filed on or after that date.