2020 -- H 7969

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LC005149

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2020

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO DOMESTIC RELATIONS -- SOLEMNIZATION OF MARRIAGES

     Introduced By: Representatives Quattrocchi, Place, Filippi, and Nardone

     Date Introduced: March 05, 2020

     Referred To: House Special Legislation

     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.

     (a) 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 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; 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.

     (b) Every city or town clerk or assistant clerk may join persons in marriage. They may also,

in their ministerial capacity, designate another person to solemnize a particular marriage chosen by

the prospective marriage partners, on a particular date, and in a particular city or town. For just

cause, that designation may be revoked by the clerk.

     (c) Parties who seek to have the city or town clerk or their assistant, perform a marriage

shall pay a fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) to the marriage licensing municipality. Parties who seek to

have a clerk designate a person to solemnize their marriage, shall pay a fee of one hundred dollars

($100) to the marriage licensing municipality.

     (d) The general assembly and the governor shall be expressly prohibited from authorizing

persons, not listed in this section, to perform individualized solemnization of marriages.

     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 prohibit the general assembly and the governor from authorizing persons,

not expressly empowered to perform solemnization of marriage, to perform marriages. It would

also allow city and town clerks and their assistant clerks to perform weddings and to also designate

others to perform marriages chosen by the prospective marriage partners.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC005149

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