OK SB876

Creates a "covenant marriage" option in Oklahoma where couples declare their marriage is a lifelong commitment and agree to obtain premarital counseling on the nature, purposes, and responsibilities of marriage

Requires couples seeking a covenant marriage to execute a declaration of intent containing a formal recitation, affidavit confirming premarital counseling, and notarized signatures filed with the district court clerk

Allows existing married couples domiciled in Oklahoma to convert their marriage to a covenant marriage by filing a declaration of intent on or after November 1, 2016

Imposes additional divorce requirements for covenant marriages citing incompatibility: mandatory 6 hours of counseling within 3 months of filing, followed by a 1-year waiting period before a final decree can be entered (or 15 months from filing with good cause shown)

Permits courts to waive the waiting period after the required counseling if the waiver would be in the best interest of the parties based on the counselor's recommendations