2014 -- H 7226

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2014

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO DOMESTIC RELATIONS -- SOLEMNIZATION OF MARRIAGES

     Introduced By: Representatives Ajello, Craven, Marcello, Lally, and Blazejewski

     Date Introduced: January 29, 2014

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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

of Marriages" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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

elder in good standing, or clergy in training or in the case of a religious society which has no

ordained clergy, a person authorized by such society, every justice of the supreme court, superior

court, family court, workers' compensation court, district court or traffic tribunal, the clerk of the

supreme court, every clerk or general chief clerk of a superior court, family court, district court,

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

traffic tribunal or district court, administrative clerks of the district court, administrators of the

workers' compensation court, every former justice or judge and former administrator of these

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

clerk of a superior court, the secretary of the senate, elected clerks of the general assembly, any

former secretary of the senate or any former elected clerk of the general assembly who retires

after July 1, 2007, judges of the United States appointed pursuant to Article III of the United

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

Constitution, and United States magistrate judges appointed pursuant to federal law, may join

persons in marriage in any city or town in this state; and every justice and every former justice of

the municipal courts of the cities and towns in this state and of the police court of the town of

Johnston and every probate judge and every former probate judge may join persons in marriage in

any city or town in this state, and wardens of the town of New Shoreham may join persons in

marriage in New Shoreham. In addition to the foregoing, any person qualified under § 15-12-1

may, upon application to the secretary of state, solemnize a particular marriage on a particular

date and in a particular city or town. The secretary of state shall promulgate rules and regulations

to implement and carry out the provisions of this section and upon payment to his or her office of

the sum of fifty dollars ($50.00), shall issue to said person a certificate of such designation. Such

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

particular date set forth in said certificate, whichever shall occur first. The fees collected under

this section shall be deposited into the general fund.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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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, in addition to ordained clergy or elder in good standing, clergy in

training or persons authorized by a religious society which has no ordained clergy to join persons

in marriage. It would also allow the secretary of state to promulgate rules and regulations to

implement this statute and sets the fee at $50.00 for a certificate to join persons in marriage.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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