HB1581: establishing a special marriage officiant license.

HB 1581-FN-A - AS INTRODUCED

2016 SESSION

16-2031 05/01

HOUSE BILL 1581-FN-A

AN ACT establishing a special marriage officiant license.

SPONSORS: Rep. Cushing, Rock. 21; Rep. M. Hennessey, Graf. 12; Rep. Eaton, Ches. 3; Rep. Lovejoy, Rock. 36; Rep. Harvey, Hills. 29; Rep. Mangipudi, Hills. 35; Rep. Rogers, Merr. 28; Rep. DeSimone, Rock. 14; Rep. McBeath, Rock. 26; Rep. DiSesa, Straf. 16; Sen. Soucy, Dist 18; Sen. Lasky, Dist 13; Sen. Feltes, Dist 15

COMMITTEE: Judiciary

ANALYSIS

This bill establishes a special marriage officiant license, which allows an individual to be temporarily authorized to solemnize a marriage in this state.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

16-2031

05/01

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Sixteen

AN ACT establishing a special marriage officiant license.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 New Section; Solemnization of Marriage; Special Marriage Officiant License. Amend RSA 457 by inserting after section 32-a the following new section:

457:32-b Special Marriage Officiant License.

I. The secretary of state may issue a special marriage officiant license to an individual who shall be temporarily authorized to solemnize a marriage in this state. The individual shall register with the secretary of state and provide:

(a) A completed registration form, as prescribed by the secretary of state.

(b) A $85 fee. The secretary of state shall forward $80 of the fee to the department of health and human services for deposit in the fund for domestic violence programs, established in RSA 173-B:15. The secretary of state shall retain the remainder of the fee for administrative costs associated with the cost of issuance the marriage officiant license.

II. Upon registration as a special marriage officiant, the individual shall be authorized to solemnize only the civil marriage designated on the registration form, and shall receive proof of that authority from the secretary of state. The individual's authority to solemnize that civil marriage shall expire at the same time as the corresponding license.

2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

LBAO 16-2031

12/3/15

HB 1581-FN-A- FISCAL NOTE

AN ACT establishing a special marriage officiant license.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The Department of State and Department of Health and Human Services states this bill, as introduced, may increase state revenue and state expenditures by an indeterminable amount in FY 2017 and each year thereafter. There will be no fiscal impact to county and local revenue or expenditures.

METHODOLOGY:

The Department of State and Department of Health and Human Services states this bills allows the Department of State to issue a special marriage officiant license to temporarily authorize an individual to solemnize a marriage in New Hampshire. This bill establishes an $85 license fee collected by the Department of State. Of the total amount received, $5 shall be retained by the Department of State to cover the costs of issuance. The remaining $80 shall be forwarded to the Department of Health and Human Services and deposited in the fund for domestic violence as established under RSA 173-B:15. Any revenue deposited into the fund established under RSA 173-B:15 would be allocated as a grant to New Hampshire programs which provide aid and assistance to victims of domestic violence. To the extent the Department of State issues special marriage officiant licenses, state revenue and expenditures and state restricted revenue and expenditures may increase by indeterminable amounts.