Family bill suggestion shot down

The Iowa Family Policy Center’s president made a 10-million dollar proposal on marriage to legislators, only to be rebuffed. Iowa Family Policy Center president Chuck Hurley wanted the money to launch a “Marriage Matters” program statewide.Hurley says the state should have a role in promoting marriage counseling for engaged couples, and “enrichment classes” for already-married Iowans.Hurley says pastors and community leaders in Cedar Rapids launched a “Marriage Matters” program community-wide in January, 2000. He says the found the divorce rate in Cedar Rapids has declined by over 23 percent.Legislators say the state budget’s tight and there’s not an extra 10-million for the “Marriage Matters” initiative.