Senate Bill #14 (2021)
AN ACT RELATING TO DOMESTIC RELATIONS - SOLEMNIZATION OF MARRIAGES
Allows governor to designate any person, upon application, 18 years old or older to solemnize marriages within this state on a particular day upon payment of a $25 fee to the secretary of state.
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2021-01-12: Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary
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2021-01-22: Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration
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2021-01-22: Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (01/28/2021)
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2021-01-28: Committee recommended measure be held for further study
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2021-02-05: Scheduled for consideration
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2021-02-05: Scheduled for consideration (02/11/2021)
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2021-02-10: Proposed Substitute
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2021-02-11: Committee recommends passage of Sub A
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2021-02-16: Placed on Senate Calendar (02/23/2021)
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2021-02-23: Senate passed Sub A
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2021-02-25: Referred to House Judiciary
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2021-05-31: Scheduled for consideration (06/02/2021)
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2021-06-01: Proposed Substitute
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2021-06-02: Committee recommends passage of Sub B
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2021-06-14: Placed on House Calendar (06/16/2021)
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2021-06-16: House passed Sub B
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2021-06-17: Placed on Senate Calendar (06/22/2021)
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2021-06-22: Senate passed Sub B in concurrence
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2021-06-22: Transmitted to Governor
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2021-06-25: Signed by Governor
Changes since original draft
2021 – S 0014- 2021 – S 0014 SUBSTITUTE B
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LC000596- LC000596/SUB B
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- S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
- IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
- JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2021
- ____________
- A N A C T
- RELATING TO DOMESTIC RELATIONS - SOLEMNIZATION OF MARRIAGES
- Introduced By: Senators McCaffrey, and de la Cruz
- Date Introduced: January 12, 2021
- Referred To: Senate 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 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. In addition to the foregoing, the governor may designate any person who is eligible to vote in the state of Rhode Island to solemnize a particular marriage on a particular date and in a particular city or town, and may for cause at any time revoke such designation. In the case of persons so designated by the governor, the secretary of state shall promulgate rules and regulations as may be necessary to implement and carry out the provisions of this section. The secretary of state shall issue a certificate of designation upon payment of twenty- five dollars ($25.00). The payment of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) shall be for applications delivered by mail, facsimile or hand. All applications submitted electronically shall pay a fee of twenty dollars ($20.00). Upon payment, a certificate of designation shall be issued. The certificate shall expire upon completion of the solemnization. The fees collected under this section shall be deposited into the general fund. SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.- 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. In addition to the foregoing, the governor shall designate, upon application, any person eighteen (18) years or older to solemnize a particular marriage on a particular date and in a particular city or town, and may for cause at any time revoke such designation. In the case of persons so designated by the governor, the secretary of state shall promulgate rules and regulations as may be necessary to implement and carry out the provisions of this section. The secretary of state shall issue a certificate of designation upon payment of twenty- five dollars ($25.00) for applications delivered by mail, facsimile or hand. All applications submitted electronically shall pay a fee of twenty dollars ($20.00). Upon payment, a certificate of designation shall be issued within twenty-one (21) days. The certificate shall expire upon completion of the solemnization. The fees collected under this section shall be deposited into the general fund.
- SECTION 2. This act shall take on January 1, 2022.
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LC000596- LC000596/SUB B
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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 who is eligible to vote to solemnize a marriage within the state of Rhode Island on a particular day and within a particular city or town. Said authorization would expire upon completion of the marriage or the following day of the scheduled marriage, whichever occurs first. A fee in the amount of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) would be a prerequisite and would be payable to the secretary of state. This act would take effect upon passage. ======== LC000596 ========- This act would allow the governor to designate any person, upon application, eighteen (18) year old or older to solemnize a marriage within the state of Rhode Island on a particular day and within a particular city or town. Said authorization would expire upon completion of the marriage or the following day of the scheduled marriage, whichever occurs first. A fee in the amount of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) would be a prerequisite and would be payable to the secretary of state.
- This act would take effect on January 1, 2022. ======== LC000596/SUB B ========
Votes
NOTE: Electronic voting records are unofficial and may not be accurate. For an official vote tally, check the
House or Senate Journal from the day of the vote.
Floor vote for - SOLEMNIZATION OF MARRIAGES
February 23, 2021 at 5:42pm
Yeas: 35 /
Nays: 0 /
Not voting: 3 /
Recused: 0
Floor vote for - SOLEMNIZATION OF MARRIAGES
February 23, 2021 at 5:42pm
Yeas: 35 /
Nays: 0 /
Not voting: 3 /
Recused: 0
June 22, 2021 at 6:22pm
Yeas: 36 /
Nays: 0 /
Not voting: 2 /
Recused: 0