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House adopts bill to prevent pregnancy from delaying divorce; sponsor cites survivors' stories
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Summary
Lawmakers adopted a House committee substitute for HB 19‑08 to remove a rule that can delay divorce because a spouse is pregnant; the sponsor framed it as a due‑process and safety issue and members cited the case of Heather Siorek in floor testimony.
The House adopted a committee substitute for House Bill 19‑08, a measure the sponsor described as correcting an “antiquated” rule that can bar a spouse from obtaining a divorce solely because the other party is pregnant.
The sponsor, identified as the lady from Jefferson, laid out three scenarios illustrating how the pregnancy‑based restriction can trap people in dangerous or inequitable situations, and said the bill “protects due process by ensuring the state does not force legal parenthood on someone simply because a pregnancy exists.”
A member recounted the account of Heather Siorek of Florissant, who survived a severe shotgun attack and whose written message to the House emphasized the need for tools that allow people to exit violent relationships. The floor repeatedly framed the change as a public‑safety and family‑law correction, with multiple members urging passage.
The House adopted the committee substitute and ordered it perfected and printed.
Next steps: the bill proceeds through the legislative process for further consideration.
