It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 15-3-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 15-3 entitled "Officials Empowered to Joint Persons in Marriage" is hereby amended to read as follows:

{ADD 15-3-5. Officials empowered to join persons in marriage. -- ADD} Every ordained clergy or elder in good standing, every justice of the supreme court, superior court, family court, workers' compensation court or district court, every associate justice, the clerk of the supreme court, every clerk of a superior court, family court, or district court, administrators of the workers' compensation court every former justice of these courts and every former chief clerk of the district court, {ADD and every former clerk of a superior court ADD} may join persons in marriage in any town in this state; and every justice and every former justice of the municipal courts of the cities of Providence, Pawtucket, Warwick, and Cranston, and every justice and every former justice of the municipal court of the town of West Warwick, and of the police court of the town of Johnston and every administrative law judge of the administrative adjudication division of the department of transportation 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 and be prospective in nature.