By Goolsby H.B. No. 348
74R679 JMM-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to certain persons who are authorized to conduct a
1-3 marriage ceremony.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 1.83(a), Family Code, is amended to read
1-6 as follows:
1-7 (a) The following persons are authorized to conduct marriage
1-8 ceremonies:
1-9 (1) licensed or ordained Christian ministers and
1-10 priests;
1-11 (2) Jewish rabbis;
1-12 (3) persons who are officers of religious
1-13 organizations and who are duly authorized by the organization to
1-14 conduct marriage ceremonies; <and>
1-15 (4) justices of the supreme court, judges of the court
1-16 of criminal appeals, justices of the courts of appeals, judges of
1-17 the district, county, and probate courts, judges of the county
1-18 courts at law, courts of domestic relations and juvenile courts,
1-19 retired justices and judges of such courts, justices of the peace,
1-20 retired justices of the peace, and judges and magistrates of the
1-21 federal courts of this state; and
1-22 (5) members of the Texas House of Representatives.
1-23 SECTION 2. Chapter 301, Government Code, is amended by
1-24 adding Subchapter F to read as follows:
2-1 SUBCHAPTER F. MARRIAGE CEREMONY CONDUCTED BY LEGISLATOR
2-2 Sec. 301.081. USE OF STATE EMPLOYEES OR CERTAIN STATE
2-3 PROPERTY. A person authorized to conduct a marriage ceremony under
2-4 Section 1.83(a)(5), Family Code, may not use in the course of any
2-5 duties associated with conducting a ceremony:
2-6 (1) the services of a state employee during the
2-7 employee's normal working hours; or
2-8 (2) postage or stationery purchased with state funds.
2-9 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
2-10 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
2-11 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-12 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-13 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-14 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.