National Affairs: 90-Day Divorce

The big barren State of Nevada was hard pressed last week to maintain its monopoly of the U. S. divorce market. Other States, covetous of the profits to be made out of divorce-hunting visitors, began liberalizing their divorce statutes to match the 90-day Nevada provision which made Reno a national byword.

First to come abreast of Nevada in the race was Arkansas whose Governor Parnell signed a measure, effective June 12, to reduce the residence period from one year to 90 days. Close behind Arkansas came Idaho. Its legislature passed a 90-day divorce law. Governor Ross disapproved it as “not in harmony with the settled policy of our State,” but an attempt was immediately started to override his veto. Also in the race were Montana, Arizona and New Mexico.

These challenges did not catch Nevada napping. At Carson City, Representative Guy Walts of Reno tossed into the legislature a bill which would cut the State residence period from 90 to 42 days. In an effort to kill the Walts measure by ridicule, State Senator Duane Bush, who has no interest in Reno hotels, offered a bill for divorce-by-mail.