Sec. 1. 19-A MRSA §902, sub-§1, ¶H, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 and affected by Pt. E, §2, is amended to read:

H. Irreconcilable marital differences; or

Sec. 2. 19-A MRSA §902, sub-§1, ¶I, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 and affected by Pt. E, §2, is amended to read:

I. Mental illness requiring confinement in a mental institution for at least 7 consecutive years prior to the commencement of the action.; or

Sec. 3. 19-A MRSA §902, sub-§1, ¶J is enacted to read:

J.__A judicial determination that one of the parties is permanently mentally incompetent.

Sec. 4. 19-A MRSA §951-A, sub-§11 is enacted to read:

11.__Support while pending.__The court may make an award of spousal support under this section while an action is pending, including while on appeal.

SUMMARY

This bill makes 2 changes to the divorce laws.

First, this bill adds as a ground for divorce the judicial determination that one of the spouses is mentally incompetent.

Second, this bill authorizes the court to award spousal support while the divorce action is pending, including while the case is on appeal.