Assembly committee endorses divorce seminars

Siobhan McDonough

Thursday, March 1, 2001 | 11:07 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- An Assembly panel voted Wednesday to give permanent status to a Las Vegas pilot program that helps to steer divorcing parents into smoother relationships for the sake of their children.

Assembly Bill 167, which would make the pilot seminars for separating parents mandatory in Las Vegas-area family courts, was endorsed by the Assembly Judiciary Committee after advocates said the seminars soften the negative effects of divorce.

"You can tell people who've been through the program. They understand the co-parenting roll," said Joyce Gallina of the Family Mediation and Assessment Center in Las Vegas.

"They learn they're still parents even though they're divorced and learn that they need to redefine their relationship for the sake of their children."

But Assemblyman Greg Brower, R-Reno, said he had "some philosophical problems" with the measure.

"I'm not sure it's the government's responsibility to step in and teach adults, who are divorced and have children, how to be good parents," he said.

The thee-hour classes, which began seven years ago on a pilot basis, require parents to complete the seminars within 45 days of a divorce filing. The $30 cost would be waived if a parent can't pay the fee.

Family Mediation and Assessment Center manager Ladeana Gamble also backed the bill by Assemblyman Mark Manendo, D-Las Vegas.

Gamble said about 7,000 divorcing mothers and fathers attend the seminars each year in Southern Nevada. Two nonprofit agencies run the seminars.