Lending a helping hand

Sunday, April 19, 2009 | 2:07 a.m.

When a couple get a marriage license in Nevada, a portion of the fee they pay goes to aid victims of domestic violence. But that revenue source has declined in recent years because of fewer marriages while demand for domestic violence services remains high.

That is why the Nevada Legislature should pass Senate Bill 14, which would increase the marriage license surcharge from $20 to $25 to help domestic violence victims. The bill, approved unanimously Wednesday by the state Senate, was referred to the Assembly Judiciary Committee.

As SB14 sponsor Sen. Bernice Mathews, D-Reno, aptly told fellow lawmakers: “If an additional $5 will keep someone from getting married, they should not get married anyway.”

The increase is a small price to pay to help support 15 domestic violence programs that operate statewide. In the 12 months that ended in June, these lifesaving programs collectively handled nearly 60,000 cases, including more than 36,000 first-time victims.

Susan Meuschke, executive director of the Nevada Network Against Domestic Violence, told members of the Senate Finance Committee last month that the programs face closure or reduced services. She blamed the shortfalls in marriage license revenue coupled with the increased difficulty of obtaining money through fundraisers and grants.

It isn’t likely that a couple will decide against getting a Nevada marriage license and choose a different state simply because of a $5 fee increase. That’s a pittance when thousands of dollars will be spent on a typical wedding ceremony.