RALEIGH - Estranged couples would be required to get marriage counseling and wait longer to file for divorce under a bill called the Healthy Marriage Act.

The bill's sponsor, Senator Austin Allran of Catawba County, says North Carolina's current laws have contributed to an alarming divorce rate.

"The state of North Carolina has one of the highest divorce rates in the country. Other states have lower divorce rates. Nearly all of the other states have lower divorce rates. It is probably because of some of our laws."

Critics say legislators should consult with family attorneys before they make changes to an already long, painful and expensive process.