TheCapitol.netCoursesConvenience LearningCustom TrainingPublicationsFaculty & AuthorsClientsStoreClient Care

Maybe they should have taken training in how to draft legislation - 1 Archives

Maybe they should have taken training in how to draft legislation - 1

A new law allows Arkansans of any age to marry, even babies. The law was intended to establish 18 as the minimum age to marry-while also allowing pregnant minors to marry with parental consent-but because of a misplaced “not,” it allows anyone who is not pregnant to marry at any age if the parents allow it.

Now the governor, an independent commission, the lawmakers, and the courts are all scratching their heads. They are having trouble coming to a consensus on how, when, and where to fix the law, leading State Senator Sue Madison to say, “I think it’s deplorable and it’s embarrassing.”

How could this have been avoided? Maybe the Arkansas lawmakers should have attended the training program from TheCapitol.Net on “Drafting Effective Federal Legislation and Amendments” or read the “Legislative Drafter’s Deskbook” by Toby Dorsey.

"Misplaced 'not' in Arkansas law allows babies to marry," CNN, October 11, 2007

Legislative Drafter's Deskbook, by Tobias A. Dorsey

October 13, 2007 04:07 PM    Caught Our Eye

Post a comment

(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)