Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Oklahoma Legislature, fetched 2026-07-23. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
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2 1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)
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3 SENATE BILL 228 By: Deevers
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5 AS INTRODUCED
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6 An Act relating to covenant marriage; creating the
6 Covenant Marriage Act of Oklahoma; providing short
7 title; stating legislative findings; defining term;
7 requiring Declaration of Intent to include certain
8 statement; establishing signature requirements;
8 establishing requirements for entering into covenant
9 marriage; establishing requirements for covenant
9 marriage license; authorizing conversion of certain
10 marriage licenses; establishing procedures for
10 conversion of certain licenses; requiring State
11 Commissioner of Health to promulgate rules;
11 establishing requirements for dissolution of covenant
12 marriage; requiring certain counseling; providing
12 credit for a covenant marriage; stipulating credit
13 amount; requiring claim for credit to be made on a
13 form prescribed by the Oklahoma Tax Commission;
14 prohibiting refundability of credit; authorizing the
14 carry forward of credit; providing for
15 noncodification; providing for codification;
15 providing an effective date; and declaring an
16 emergency.
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18 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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19 SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law not to be
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20 codified in the Oklahoma Statutes reads as follows:
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21 A. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Covenant
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22 Marriage Act of Oklahoma".
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23 B. The Legislature of the State of Oklahoma finds that marriage
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24 is a lifelong commitment and the foundation of a stable and healthy
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1 society. To strengthen the institution of marriage and to promote
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2 the religious freedom of those who wish to enter into a marital
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3 union under religious terms, this act establishes the option of a
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4 covenant marriage, which emphasizes the sacredness and utmost
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5 importance to the flourishing of individuals and societies of the
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6 institution of marriage.
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7 SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
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8 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 21 of Title 43, unless there is
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9 created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
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10 A. As used in this act, "Declaration of Intent" means a
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11 document signed by both parties at the time of applying for a
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12 covenant marriage license that affirms their commitment to the
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13 principles of a covenant marriage.
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14 B. The Declaration of Intent for a covenant marriage shall
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15 include the following statement to be signed by both parties:
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16 "We do solemnly declare that marriage is a lifelong covenant
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17 made before God. We have chosen each other carefully and
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18 disclosed to one another everything that could adversely affect
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19 the decision to enter into this marriage. We have received
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20 premarital counseling on the nature, purposes, and
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21 responsibilities of marriage. We have read the Covenant
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22 Marriage Act of Oklahoma, and we understand that a covenant
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23 marriage is for life. If we experience marital difficulties, we
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24 commit ourselves to take all reasonable efforts to preserve our
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Req. No. 1344 Page 2
1 marriage, including marital counseling. With full knowledge of
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2 what this commitment means, we do hereby declare that our
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3 marriage will be bound by the laws of the State of Oklahoma on
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4 covenant marriages, and we promise to love, honor, and care for
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5 one another as spouses for the rest of our lives."
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6 Both parties must sign the document in the presence of two witnesses
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7 and a notary public.
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8 SECTION 3. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
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9 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 22 of Title 43, unless there is
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10 created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
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11 A. Couples intending to enter into a covenant marriage shall,
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12 in addition to submitting other marriage-related documents required
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13 by law:
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14 1. Sign a Declaration of Intent. Both parties must sign the
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15 Declaration of Intent, as outlined in Section 2 of this act;
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16 2. Undergo premarital counseling. The parties shall complete
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17 marriage counseling from a minister, clergy member, or counselor;
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18 and
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19 3. File the Declaration of Intent. The signed declaration must
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20 be filed with the marriage license application at the county clerk's
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21 office.
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22 B. A marriage license issued under this section shall clearly
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23 indicate it is a covenant marriage license and shall be in strict
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24 facial compliance with the requirements of Section 3 of Title 43 of
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1 the Oklahoma Statutes. An application for a covenant marriage
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2 license shall include the following statement: "We, (name of
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3 intended spouse) and (name of intended spouse), do hereby declare
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4 our intent to contract a covenant marriage and, accordingly, have
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5 executed a Declaration of Intent attached hereto."
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6 C. An existing marriage license may be converted to a covenant
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7 marriage license upon the agreement of both spouses. To convert an
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8 existing marriage license, the couple shall:
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9 1. Sign the Declaration of Intent;
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10 2. Complete counseling on the nature and responsibilities of a
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11 covenant marriage; and
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12 3. File the signed Declaration of Intent with the county
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13 clerk's office.
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14 SECTION 4. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
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15 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 23 of Title 43, unless there is
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16 created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
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17 The State Commissioner of Health shall promulgate rules for the
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18 administration of covenant marriage licenses and maintain records of
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19 covenant marriage declarations.
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20 SECTION 5. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
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21 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 101.1 of Title 43, unless there
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22 is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
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1 A. Divorce in a Covenant Marriage shall only be granted if one
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2 spouse can demonstrate by a preponderance of the evidence that the
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3 other spouse has committed one or more of the following acts:
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4 1. Abandonment. The spouse has abandoned the petitioner for a
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5 continuous period of at least one (1) year without justification,
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6 which shall include, but not be limited to, time in prison;
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7 2. Abuse. The spouse has committed physical or sexual abuse
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8 against the petitioner or their child; or
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9 3. Adultery. The spouse has committed adultery during the
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10 marriage.
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11 B. Couples in a covenant marriage shall be encouraged to seek
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12 counseling in the event of marital difficulties. Marital counseling
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13 shall be required prior to filing for divorce, except in cases
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14 involving abuse or criminal conviction. Counseling shall be
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15 provided by a minister, clergy member, or counselor.
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16 SECTION 6. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
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17 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 2357.414 of Title 68, unless
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18 there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
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19 A. For tax year 2025 and subsequent tax years, there shall be
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20 allowed a credit against the tax imposed pursuant to Section 2355 of
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21 Title 68 of the Oklahoma Statutes for individual taxpayers in a
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22 marriage resulting from the issuance of a covenant marriage license
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23 pursuant to the provisions of Section 3 of this act.
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1 B. The credit authorized pursuant to subsection A of this
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2 section shall be in the amount of Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars
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3 ($2,500.00) for taxpayers filing as married filing jointly or One
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4 Thousand Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($1,250.00) for each taxpayer
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5 filing as married filing separately.
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6 C. Claims for credit authorized pursuant to this section shall
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7 be made on a form prescribed by the Oklahoma Tax Commission and
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8 shall include written certification that the taxpayers are married
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9 through the issuance of a covenant marriage license as provided
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10 pursuant to Section 3 of this act.
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11 D. The credit allowed pursuant to the provisions of this
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12 section shall not be used to reduce the income tax liability of the
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13 taxpayer to less than zero (0).
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14 E. If the amount of the credit allowed pursuant to this section
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15 exceeds the income tax liability, the amount of credit not used in
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16 any tax year may be carried forward, in order, to each of the five
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17 (5) subsequent tax years.
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18 SECTION 7. This act shall become effective July 1, 2025.
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19 SECTION 8. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
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20 of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
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21 declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
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22 be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
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24 60-1-1344 TEK 12/30/2024 4:59:01 PM
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Req. No. 1344 Page 6Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.