2021 -- S 0679

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2021

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO DOMESTIC RELATIONS -- SOLEMNIZATION OF MARRIAGES

     Introduced By: Senators Archambault, and Burke

     Date Introduced: March 18, 2021

     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 DOMESTIC RELATIONS -- 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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