BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 911

By: Huffman

County Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties note that certain county clerks have raised concerns regarding their sincerely held religious beliefs with regard to the signing of marriage licenses for certain individuals and with regard to their name on the marriage license application. S.B. 911 seeks to address this issue by setting out provisions relating to the form of a marriage license and an application for a marriage license.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 911 amends the Family Code to require a marriage license issued by a county clerk to identify the county in which the license is issued, and to prohibit the license from specifying the county clerk's name.

S.B. 911 amends the Health and Safety Code to prohibit the Department of State Health Services form used for the marriage license application from requiring that the county clerk's name appear on the application and to require the form to require identification of the county in which the application is submitted.

EFFECTIVE DATE

January 1, 2018.