HOUSTON — Delegates at the Texas GOP’s State Convention approved a slate of 2026–2028 legislative priorities that includes an explicit call to “End no-fault divorce,” according to a LifeSiteNews report. The plank appears under the platform heading “Protect Texas Kids.”
What the platform says, per the report
LifeSiteNews reports the party’s stated goal is to “promote marriage and strong families,” summarizing the platform’s language as follows: “As marriage and strong families are the best protection for children, promote and respect marriage, family unity, parenting, and parental rights across all state agencies, including CPS (child protective services) and schools. Ban same-sex adoption. End no-fault divorce. When a marriage breaks down, family law proceedings should respect 50/50 equal parenting presumptions in the best interest of children.”
Long-running push now labeled a priority
According to LifeSiteNews, ending or rolling back no-fault divorce has appeared in prior platforms, but this cycle elevates it as a “legislative priority.” The outlet notes that beginning in 2018, the platform advocated rescinding no-fault divorce laws and supporting covenant marriage. It adds that in 2024, Plank 185 called for rewriting the Family Code, rescinding no-fault divorce, and requiring a six-month wait and counseling before divorce.
How no-fault divorce works in Texas, as described
LifeSiteNews states that no-fault divorce has been Texas law since 1970, allowing a marriage to end without proving wrongdoing. The report says this often involves one spouse seeking divorce over the other’s objection and that courts grant it on the basis of “irreconcilable differences.” The article also characterizes the reform’s original rationale as enabling wives in abusive situations to exit marriages more swiftly and cheaply than under fault-based rules.
Party chair cites abuse‑victim safeguards
Asked about the policy in 2023, Texas GOP Chairman Matt Rinaldi said the party would oppose any change that harms domestic-violence victims and would “support safeguards in any family law changes to ensure that domestic violence can swiftly and easily escape abusive relationships,” according to the quote reported by LifeSiteNews.
Arguments cited for rolling back no-fault
LifeSiteNews quotes political scientist Scott Yenor’s 2023 analysis for the Institute for Family Studies: “When divorce is difficult or impossible to secure, marriage is thought of as an enduring, tighter community, and small irritants can be forgotten or forgiven. When divorce is easy to secure, partners in a marriage tend to think of themselves as individuals first before marriage partners, and marriages can dissolve easily.”
As summarized in the report, Yenor argues that divorces “soared” after no-fault became the norm, that marriage rates fell “from 72% before the reforms to under 50% in 2022,” and that children of divorce experienced higher rates of poverty, suicide, depression, drug use, and crime. He also contends most divorces are initiated for reasons such as “irreconcilable differences, drifting apart, or lack of emotional support,” rather than abuse, infidelity, or desertion.
Broader framing noted in the report
The LifeSiteNews piece situates the platform within a wider critique of post‑1970s family change and cites writer Mary Eberstadt’s term “the Great Scattering” to describe large‑scale family breakup. It presents the question of whether legal changes to marriage could mitigate perceived fallout as unresolved.
