SENATE MEMORIAL 27

47th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2006

INTRODUCED BY

Leonard Lee Rawson

A MEMORIAL

COMMENDING THE CITY OF LAS CRUCES FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE COMMUNITY MARRIAGE POLICY PROGRAM AND ENCOURAGING EACH NEW MEXICO CITY TO FOLLOW ITS EXAMPLE.

     WHEREAS, on January 20, 2006, the city of Las Cruces became the two hundredth American city to sign the community marriage policy; and

     WHEREAS, Mike and Harriet McManus created the community marriage policy program as part of a collaborative program with the judiciary, clergy and church congregations to radically reduce divorce rates among married couples; and

     WHEREAS, in the first one hundred fourteen communities in which the policy was adopted, the divorce rate declined by seventeen and one-half percent over seven years compared with similar cities; and  

     WHEREAS, the success of the community marriage policy program is attributed to six key reforms implemented by the participating parties:

          A. avoiding a bad marriage before the marriage begins by requiring four to six months of preparation, including taking a premarital inventory and being trained in conflict resolution skills;

          B. providing "marriage insurance" to the engaged couple by having the couple meet with a trained mentor couple to discuss the results of the premarital inventory;

          C. strengthening existing marriages by organizing an annual retreat;

          D. training couples whose marriages are failing by pairing them with mentors who survived a similar crisis;

          E. pairing the spouse who wishes to reconcile with a friend of the same gender in a workbook course for one hour per week for twelve weeks; and

          F. creating stepfamily support groups;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the city of Las Cruces be commended for becoming the two hundredth city to participate in the community marriage policy program and that each New Mexico city be encouraged to follow the example of the city of Las Cruces; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the mayor of Las Cruces and to the New Mexico municipal league.

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