AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Under current law, clergy members, judges, and retired judges of nearly all types can conduct marriage ceremonies. Ironically, associate judges can grant divorces but cannot not currently conduct marriages. H.B. 2278 extends the authorization to conduct marriage ceremonies to associate judges and retired associate judges.

 

H.B. 2278 amends current law relating to authorizing certain current and retired associate judges to conduct a marriage ceremony.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. Amends Section 2.202(a), Family Code, as follows:

 

(a) Provides that the following persons are authorized to conduct a marriage ceremony:

 

(1)-(3) Makes no change to these subdivisions;

 

(4) a justice of the supreme court, judge of the court of criminal appeals, justice of the courts of appeals, judge of the district, county, and probate courts, judge of the county courts at law, judge of the courts of domestic relations, judge of the juvenile courts, retired justice or judge of those courts, justice of the peace, retired justice of the peace, judge of a municipal court, retired judge of a municipal court, associate judge of a statutory probate court, retired associate judge of a statutory probate court, associate judge of a county court at law, retired associate judge of a county court at law, or judge or magistrate of a federal court of this state; and

 

(5) Makes no change to this subdivision.

 

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2015.