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SALT LAKE CITY — State law may soon provide more flexibility for Utah parents who are filing for divorce and are required to complete a mandatory divorce course.
A House panel endorsed a bill Friday that would allow divorcing parents the option to take the entire course online.
Utahn Jennifer Dailey told committee members that it was challenging for her when she was going through the divorce process to find time to attend the class as a single mother.
“From personal experience, I think any opportunity that you can give to single parents to help them fulfill their obligations should be taken,” Dailey said.
Currently, state law requires divorcing parents to complete an orientation for the course and the course itself. Parents can complete the orientation online, but they are required to attend a live presentation to complete the rest of the course.
HB428 would allow divorcing parents an online option in addition to the in-person lesson, said bill sponsor Rep. Carol Spackman Moss, D-Salt Lake City. She said it’s a reasonable accommodation, especially considering the fact that people can complete entire higher education degrees online.
However, Neal Gunnarson, divorce education class instructor, said allowing an online option for the course would “defeat the entire purpose” of requiring parents to take the class.
Gunnarson said the course is designed to help parents understand how to protect their children during divorce, which is best done in a personal environment where individuals can connect on emotional levels. He said an online course would not facilitate that learning atmosphere.
“Putting a person in a sterile environment to watch a talking head is counter-productive to the entire intuitive purpose of this course,” Gunnarson said.
Rep. Steve Eliason, R-Sandy, voted against the bill and said lawmakers shouldn’t “underestimate the value of a teacher in a classroom because of the personal connections they make.”
Divorce education instructor Elizabeth Hickey also opposed the bill and said divorcing parents won't take an online version of the course as seriously as the in-person class. She said as a result, children could be negatively affected by parents who don't understand the serious impacts of divorce and don't address the situations with their children properly.
Dailey argued parents who don't take the issue seriously won't benefit from the course, regardless of whether it's in-person or not.
"People will choose to be engaged or not, and I don't think that offering an online course will dictate that," Dailey said.
Spackman Moss acknowledged that parents may receive better personal experiences in live presentation courses, but the course isn’t intended to be a full-fledged “therapy session.”
“This doesn’t mean that one is better than another,” Spackman Moss said. “It's just giving another option to people that are already under stress.”
Rep. Angela Romero, D-Salt Lake City, said single parents face numerous challenges — from perhaps caring for several children or working untraditional hours — that might make it difficult for them to attend the live class. She also added while some might think an in-person class is best for divorcing parents to cope with their situations, others might disagree.
“People endure things in different ways, so I think having both options is better than only having one option,” she said.
The House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee approved HB428 with a 7-1 vote. The bill now moves to the full House for consideration. Email: kmckellar@deseretnews.com
