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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to authorizing the county clerk in certain counties to |
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conduct certain marriage ceremonies and collect a related fee; |
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authorizing a fee. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 2.202, Family Code, is amended by adding |
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Subsection (a-1) to read as follows: |
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(a-1) For a marriage ceremony in which a participant is a |
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member of the United States armed forces in active-duty status and |
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which is performed in a county with a population of at least 1.7 |
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million that contains a municipality in which at least 75 percent of |
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the county's population resides, the county clerk and any deputy |
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clerk appointed by the clerk are authorized to conduct the |
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ceremony. |
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SECTION 2. Section 51.402, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows: |
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(a-1) In a county to which Section 2.202(a-1), Family Code, |
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applies, the county clerk and any deputy clerk appointed by the |
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clerk may conduct a marriage ceremony for a member of the United |
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States armed forces in active-duty status. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter G, Chapter 51, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 51.6045 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 51.6045. MARRIAGE CEREMONY FEE. A clerk or deputy |
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clerk who conducts a marriage ceremony under Section 51.402(a-1) |
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shall collect a $25 fee for conducting the ceremony. The clerk or |
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deputy clerk shall deposit the fee in the county treasury to be used |
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by the county only to fund charitable organizations that: |
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(1) assist or provide care for victims of family |
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violence or of child abuse or neglect; or |
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(2) provide family violence prevention services. |
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SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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a marriage ceremony that is conducted on or after the effective date |
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of this Act. A marriage ceremony conducted before the effective |
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date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the |
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ceremony was conducted, and the former law is continued in effect |
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for that purpose. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |