HB-5473, As Passed House, May 19, 2004

SUBSTITUTE FOR

HOUSE BILL NO. 5473

                                                                             A bill to amend 1887 PA 128, entitled                                             

"An act establishing the minimum ages for contracting marriages;            

to require a civil license in order to marry and its                        

registration; to provide for the implementation of federal law;             

and to provide a penalty for the violation of this act,"                    

by amending section 4 (MCL 551.104).                                        

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

1       Sec. 4.   It shall be the duty of the clergyman The cleric

2   or magistrate  ,  officiating at a marriage  , to shall fill in            

3   the spaces of the certificate left blank for the entry of the               

4   time and place of the marriage, the names and residences of 2               

5   witnesses, and his or her own signature in certification that the           

6   marriage has been performed by him  and any and all information

7   or her.  Based upon information provided by the parties, the                

8   cleric or magistrate shall fill in the appropriate space of the             

9   certificate indicating whether the parties have or have not                 

10  received premarital education.  For parties who have received               

House Bill No. 5473 (H-1) as amended May 19, 2004

1   premarital education, the parties shall verify completion of the            

2   premarital education by a sworn statement to that effect in the             

3   license or certificate.  Information required to be filled in in            

4   the spaces left blank in the certificate shall be typewritten or            

5   legibly printed.  He or she shall separate the duplicate license            

6   and certificate,  and  deliver the half part designated duplicate           

7   to 1 of the parties  , so joined in to the marriage, and within            

8   10 days return the original to the county clerk  issuing the                

9   same who issued them.   It shall be the duty of such clergyman

10  The cleric or magistrate  to shall keep an accurate record of              

11  all marriages solemnized in a book used expressly for that                  

12  purpose.  As used in this section, "premarital education" means a           

13  program that emphasizes skill-building strategies and includes,             

14  at least, conflict management, communication skills, financial              

15  matters, and, if the couple has or intends to have children,                

16  child and parenting responsibilities.  The program shall be at              

17  least 4 hours long and shall be conducted by 1 or more of the               

18  following individuals:                                                      

19      (a) A licensed professional counselor, licensed marriage and                

20  family therapist, licensed or limited licensed psychologist, or             

21  certified social worker or social worker licensed or registered             

22  as required in article 15 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368,           

23  MCL 333.16101 to 333.18838.                                                 

24      (b) A psychiatrist as that term is defined in section 100c of               

25  the mental health code, 1974 PA 258, MCL 330.1100c.                         

26        (c) An official representative of a religious institution.

[Enacting section 1. This amendatory act takes effect October 1, 2004.]