FOR RICHER OR FOR POORER: THE IMPACT OF STATE-LEVEL LEGISLATION ON MARRIAGE, DIVORCE, AND OTHER OUTCOMES

摘要

As a part of welfare reform, states throughout the country have enacted legislation to promote marriage. Lawmakers believe that by promoting marriage, the states will achieve lower divorce rates and lower rates of cohabitation by converting cohabitating couples into more stable married households, which in turn will lead to fewer women and children utilizing welfare programs. To determine the impact of state-level legislation, we analyze state-level 1990 and 2000 data in light of sixteen different state-level policy variables that were designed to increase marriage rates, decrease divorce rates, or otherwise have “pro-family” outcomes. This analysis shows few if any compelling differences between states that have enacted these various measures and those that have not.