MARRIAGE CERT.: PREMARITAL ED. S.B. 549:
COMMITTEE SUMMARY
[Please see the PDF version of this analysis, if available, to view this image.]
Senate Bill 549 (as introduced 6-30-11)
Sponsor: Senator Tupac A. Hunter
Committee: Judiciary
Date Completed: 10-25-11
CONTENT
The bill would amend Public Act 128 of 1887, which prescribes marriage license criteria, to require the person officiating at a marriage to indicate on the marriage certificate whether the couple had received premarital education.
The Act provides for a marriage license and certificate. A county clerk must certify that a marriage license is properly issued if the parties applying for it are legally entitled to be married. The clergyman or magistrate officiating at a marriage must fill in spaces of the certificate for the time and place of the marriage, the names and residences of two witnesses, and the clergy's or magistrate's signature. The bill would refer to the individual officiating at a marriage, rather than the clergyman or magistrate.
Under the bill, based on information provided by the parties being married, the individual officiating at the marriage also would have to fill in the appropriate space of the certificate, indicating whether the parties had or had not received premarital education. If the parties had received premarital education, they would have to verify completion of the education by a sworn statement in the license or certificate.
MCL 551.104 Legislative Analyst: Patrick Affholter
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.
Fiscal Analyst: David Zin
Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. sb549/1112