Establishes provisions relating to covenant marriages

HB 562 creates a new "covenant marriage" option in Missouri, allowing couples to formally commit to a lifelong marriage with specific requirements. To obtain a covenant marriage license, couples must complete at least eight hours of premarital counseling from a religious leader or professional counselor, sign a written declaration affirming their lifelong commitment, and submit notarized forms. This license is legally equivalent to a standard marriage license for all rights and benefits but requires couples to make "reasonable efforts to preserve" the marriage (including counseling) before seeking an end, with more limited grounds for termination than standard marriages. It applies only to new marriages where couples choose this option at the time of applying for a license.