H.B. 310 Enrolled

1

AUTHORITY OF LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR TO
2 PERFORM MARRIAGE
3 2009 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Chief Sponsor: Carl Wimmer
6 Senate Sponsor: Ralph Okerlund
7
8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This bill allows the lieutenant governor to solemnize marriages.
11 Highlighted Provisions:
12 This bill:
13 . allows the lieutenant governor to solemnize marriages; and
14 . makes technical changes.
15 Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
16 None
17 Other Special Clauses:
18 None
19 Utah Code Sections Affected:
20 AMENDS:
21 30-1-6, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2004, Chapter 157
22
23 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
24 Section 1. Section 30-1-6 is amended to read:
25 30-1-6. Who may solemnize marriages -- Certificate.
26 (1) Marriages may be solemnized by the following persons only:
27 (a) ministers, rabbis, or priests of any religious denomination who are:
28 (i) in regular communion with any religious society; and
29 (ii) 18 years of age or older;

30 (b) Native American spiritual advisors;
31 (c) the governor;
32 (d) the lieutenant governor;
33 [(d)] (e) mayors of municipalities or county executives;
34 [(e)] (f) a justice, judge, or commissioner of a court of record;
35 [(f)] (g) a judge of a court not of record of the state;
36 [(g)] (h) judges or magistrates of the United States;
37 [(h)] (i) the county clerk of any county in the state, if the clerk chooses to solemnize
38 marriages;
39 [(i)] (j) the president of the Senate;
40 [(j)] (k) the speaker of the House of Representatives; or
41 [(k)] (l) a judge or magistrate who holds office in Utah when retired, under rules set by
42 the Supreme Court.
43 (2) A person authorized under Subsection (1) who solemnizes a marriage shall give to
44 the couple married a certificate of marriage that shows the:
45 (a) name of the county from which the license is issued; and
46 (b) date of the license's issuance.
47 (3) As used in this section:
48 (a) "Judge or magistrate of the United States" means:
49 (i) a justice of the United States Supreme Court;
50 (ii) a judge of a court of appeals;
51 (iii) a judge of a district court;
52 (iv) a judge of any court created by an act of Congress the judges of which are entitled
53 to hold office during good behavior;
54 (v) a judge of a bankruptcy court;
55 (vi) a judge of a tax court; or
56 (vii) a United States magistrate.
57 (b) (i) "Native American spiritual advisor" means a person who:

58 (A) (I) leads, instructs, or facilitates a Native American religious ceremony or service;
59 or
60 (II) provides religious counseling; and
61 (B) is recognized as a spiritual advisor by a federally recognized Native American
62 tribe.
63 (ii) "Native American spiritual advisor" includes a sweat lodge leader, medicine
64 person, traditional religious practitioner, or holy man or woman.
65 (4) Notwithstanding any other provision in law, no person authorized under
66 Subsection (1) to solemnize a marriage may delegate or deputize another person to perform the
67 function of solemnizing a marriage, except that only full-time employees of the office
68 responsible for the issuance of marriage licenses may be deputized.