2019 -- S 0495

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LC001698

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO SOLEMNIZATION OF MARRIAGES

     Introduced By: Senator Stephen R. Archambault

     Date Introduced: February 27, 2019

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     (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; 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, administrative clerk, or general chief clerk, or

administrator of a the supreme court, 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; every

former chief clerk of the district court; every former clerk, administrative 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; 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 the administrator of the Johnston municipal court, while he or she is serving as an

administrator, 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.

     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 SOLEMNIZATION OF MARRIAGES

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     This act would add the administrator of the supreme court as an individual authorized to

perform marriages and would clarify that the current administrators of the superior court, family

court, district court, or traffic tribunal are empowered to perform marriages.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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