BILL ANALYSIS
By: Delisi
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Under current law, county clerks file marriage license applications and the bureau of vital statistics keeps records of these. There is no provision for a special license which interested parties may receive to commemorate either a marriage or a significant wedding anniversary. This bill would require the Department of State Health Services (department) to create heirloom wedding anniversary certificates and sell them, with the proceeds going to the childhood immunization account.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission in SECTION 1 of this bill.
ANALYSIS
This bill requires the department to promote the sale of heirloom wedding anniversary certificates after soliciting donated designs from Texas artists. The department is required to charge a fee of $50, and the executive commissioner is required to adopt rules that designate certain milestone wedding anniversary dates and promote heirloom wedding anniversary certificates celebrating those anniversary dates. The department is required to create an ordering system for the certificates that includes printed order forms available through the department and an online ordering system. Heirloom wedding certificates must be on parchment paper that is at least 11 by 14 inches.
These heirloom certificates are not marriage licenses and may not be used to establish marriage relationships. The proceeds from these certificates is required to be deposited in the childhood immunization account of the general revenue fund to make grants to fund childhood immunizations, related education programs and administration of this section. The process of designing these certificates is required to begin as soon as possible after the effective date, and the department is authorized to appoint an advisory committee to assist in the process.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2005.