After killing a bill that would have made domestic violence ground for divorce in Mississippi, Rep. Andy Gipson has offered an amendment to the House of Representatives to clarify.
The amendment was added to Senate Bill 2680. It clarified alternative relatives that may car for abused and neglected children. The amendment defines what the divorce statute “habitual cruel and inhuman treatment” already says.
However, this amendment would include abusive physical conduct, either threatened or attempted, or abusive non-physical conduct, including threats, intimidation, emotional or verbal abuse.
“I am very pleased that the Mississippi House of Representatives has adopted a set of clear evidentiary guidelines on the important issue of domestic abuse divorce,” sad Gipson. “These guidelines will provide real and immediate help to domestic violence victims, as well as assistance to judges statewide as they consider domestic abuse divorce cases.”
Gipson said that the real problem wasn’t the law itself, but how it was being applied by the courts. He said there was a lack of uniformity across the board.
He specifically thanked the Mississippi Center for Violence Prevention and Executive Director Sandy Middleton for their help in working with lawmakers to find a solution. He also thanked Speaker Gunn and other members of the House who took an interest in amending this bill.
For more background on why the bill was amended click HERE.
