JEFFERSON CITY — Missouri women seeking a divorce are currently required to disclose their pregnancy status. If they are pregnant, their divorce can be denied. However, House Bills 243 and 280, which passed the House on Monday, aim to change that by preventing pregnancy status from being used as a reason to block a divorce.
The identical bills, sponsored by Rep. Cecelie Williams, R-Dittmer, and Rep. Raychel Proudie, D-Ferguson, would repeal and replace Sections 452.305 and 452.310 of state law. The new sections would explicitly state: “Pregnancy status shall not prevent the court from entering a judgment of dissolution of marriage or legal separation.”
A 2022 study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that pregnant women or those who have recently given birth in the U.S. are more likely to be murdered than to die from pregnancy-related causes. The study links these homicides to a dangerous mix of intimate partner violence and firearms.
On the House floor, Rep. Williams shared her personal experience with domestic abuse. She described an incident in which her ex-husband assaulted her with a baseball bat, breaking her jaw and orbital bone.
“I remember my three children sleeping next to me that night because we were all so scared. But an image that never escapes my mind is their little blood-soaked footprints on the hardwood floor as they walked around me trying to help pick up their mommy off the floor,” Williams said.
When Williams finally gathered the courage to leave, Missouri law prevented her from finalizing her divorce because she was pregnant.
“I knew I needed to protect myself and my children, but under Missouri law, I was unable to dissolve my marriage because I had just found out I was pregnant,” Williams said. “The emotional, psychological and physical pain didn’t stop just because I was carrying our fourth child. The law didn’t care that I was safe.”
Williams urged lawmakers from both parties to support the bill.
“It’s about safety, dignity, and healing for women and children who have been subjected to abuse,” she said. “No woman should be forced to remain in an abusive marriage, especially while pregnant.”
The bill passed the House unanimously, with Williams receiving a standing ovation for her testimony.
Rep. Proudie, who is also a domestic violence survivor, praised Williams’ bravery and called her a “warrior.”
This is not the first time such a bill has been introduced. Similar legislation was proposed in 2023 and 2024 but did not pass.
“I’m glad that we’re getting it out early enough so that it has a real chance of passing,” Proudie said. “We are doing something for individuals stuck in this situation.”
Proudie emphasized that she is confident lawmakers will agree on this bill, despite previous delays caused by Senate infighting. In anticipation of these challenges, House lawmakers are working to push key legislation through earlier than in previous years.
Related Topics:
