2013 -- S 0224

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LC00884

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

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A N A C T

RELATING TO DOMESTIC RELATIONS -- SOLEMNIZATION OF MARRIAGES

     Introduced By: Senators McCaffrey, Goodwin, Felag, and Walaska

     Date Introduced: February 06, 2013

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 15-3-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 15-3 entitled "Solemnization

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of Marriages" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     15-3-5. Officials empowered to join persons in marriage. -- Every ordained clergy or

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elder in good standing, every justice of the supreme court, superior court, family court, workers'

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compensation court, district court or traffic tribunal, the clerk of the supreme court, every clerk or

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general chief clerk of a superior court, family court, district court, or traffic tribunal, magistrates,

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special or general magistrates of the superior court, family court, traffic tribunal or district court,

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administrative clerks of the district court, administrators of the workers' compensation court,

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every former justice or judge and former administrator of these courts and every former chief

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clerk of the district court, and every former clerk or general chief clerk of a superior court, the

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secretary of the senate, elected clerks of the general assembly, any former secretary of the senate

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or any former elected clerk of the general assembly who retires after July 1, 2007, judges of the

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United States appointed pursuant to Article III of the United States Constitution, bankruptcy

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judges appointed pursuant to Article I of the United States Constitution, and United States

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magistrate judges appointed pursuant to federal law, may join persons in marriage in any city or

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town in this state; and every justice and every former justice of the municipal courts of the cities

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and towns in this state and of the police court of the town of Johnston and every probate judge

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and every former probate judge may join persons in marriage in any city or town in this state, and

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wardens of the town of New Shoreham may join persons in marriage in New Shoreham. In

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addition to the foregoing, the governor may designate any person to solemnize a particular

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marriage on a particular date and in a particular city or town, and may for cause at any time

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revoke such designation; provided, however, that no felon shall be permitted to solemnize a

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particular marriage until completion of such felon's sentence, served or suspended, and of parole

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or probation regardless of a nolo contendere plea. In the case of persons so designated by the

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governor, the secretary of state shall promulgate rules and regulations as may be necessary to

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implement and carry out the provisions of this section and upon payment to him or her of the sum

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of one hundred fifty dollars ($150), shall issue to said person a certificate of such designation.

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Such certificate shall expire upon either the completion of such solemnization or the day

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following the particular date set forth in said certificate, whichever shall occur first. The fees

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collected under this section shall be deposited into the general fund.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC00884

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO DOMESTIC RELATIONS -- SOLEMNIZATION OF MARRIAGES

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     This act would allow the governor to designate any person not having a felony criminal

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record to solemnize a marriage. The secretary of state would promulgate rules to implement this

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designation. The certificate for said designation would cost one hundred fifty dollars ($150).

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC00884

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