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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to authorizing certain state elected officials to conduct |
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a marriage ceremony. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 2.202(a), Family Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) The following persons are authorized to conduct a |
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marriage ceremony: |
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(1) a licensed or ordained Christian minister or |
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priest; |
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(2) a Jewish rabbi; |
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(3) a person who is an officer of a religious |
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organization and who is authorized by the organization to conduct a |
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marriage ceremony; [and] |
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(4) a justice of the supreme court, judge of the court |
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of criminal appeals, justice of the courts of appeals, judge of the |
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district, county, and probate courts, judge of the county courts at |
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law, judge of the courts of domestic relations, judge of the |
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juvenile courts, retired justice or judge of those courts, justice |
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of the peace, retired justice of the peace, or judge or magistrate |
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of a federal court of this state; |
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(5) a current member of the state legislature; |
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(6) a former member of the state legislature who held |
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that office on or after September 1, 2007; |
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(7) a current statewide-elected state official; and |
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(8) a former statewide-elected state official who held |
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that office on or after September 1, 2007. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 572, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 572.062 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 572.062. USE OF STATE EMPLOYEES OR CERTAIN STATE |
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PROPERTY; PROHIBITION OF REMUNERATION. (a) A person authorized to |
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conduct a marriage ceremony under Section 2.202(a)(5) or (7), |
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Family Code, may not use in the course of any duties associated with |
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conducting a ceremony: |
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(1) the services of a state employee during the |
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employee's normal working hours; or |
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(2) postage or stationery purchased with state funds. |
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(b) A person authorized to conduct a marriage ceremony under |
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Section 2.202(a)(5), (6), (7), or (8), Family Code, may not |
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receive: |
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(1) remuneration for performance of the ceremony; or |
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(2) any gift with a value greater than $50 for |
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performance of the ceremony. |
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SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to a marriage between a man and a woman. Nothing in this Act may be |
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construed to authorize a same-sex marriage. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |