Ban Divorce? Man Pushes California Marriage Protection Act

By Minara El-Rahman on December 02, 2009 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

What started out as a joke may become a ballot reality for 2010. NBC reports that Sacramento web designer John Marcotte wants ensure that his state does all it can to "defend the institution of marriage." He has proposed a ballot initiative called the 2010 California Marriage Protection Act. It would ban divorce in the state.

While the site is clearly satirical (the blurb about the author states that he opposes government-funded death panels and Obama talking to children and MSNBC's entire prime-time line-up), there are many conservatives who are willing to put the bill on the ballot as a legitimate measure.

Mr. Marcotte started his push for the California Marriage Protection Act as a joke aimed at people who voted for California's Proposition 8 (which banned same sex marriage) by claiming that Prop. 8 did not go far enough to protect "traditional marriage."

Mr. Marcotte told the AP: "Since California has decided to protect traditional marriage, I think it would be hypocritical of us not to sacrifice some of our own rights to protect traditional marriage even more."

While Mr. Marcotte has garnered a lot of press for the California Marriage Protection Act, he still has a long way to go. He needs to get 694,354 valid signatures by March 22.

Even if he does manage to get the proposed legislation on the ballot, it is unlikely that voters will ban divorce, given that around half of all marriage end in divorce in the United States.

However, Mr. Marcotte does shed some light on to marriage rights and legislation. According to the AP, Mr. Marcotte was mentioned by Keith Olbermann on MSNBC's "Countdown" during his "World's Best Persons" segment for giving supporters of Proposition 8 their "comeuppance in California." Mr Marcotte has also received praise from same-sex marriage advocates as well as very conservative groups who helped pass Prop. 8 in CA.

If you are interested in learning more about marriage and divorce in CA, please visit our Related Resources links.

Related Resources:

California Marriage License, Registration and Ceremony Information (CA Dept. of Public Health)
Law on Marriage and Living Together - California (Findlaw)
Marriage (provided by Law Office of Marilyn Bierer)
Divorce FAQ (provided by Law Office of Charles E. Rich)