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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to persons who are authorized to conduct a marriage |
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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; |
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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, judge of a municipal |
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court, retired judge of a municipal court, associate judge of a |
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statutory probate court, retired associate judge of a statutory |
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probate court, associate judge of a county court at law, retired |
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associate judge of a county court at law, or judge or magistrate of |
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a federal court of this state; [and] |
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(5) a retired judge or magistrate of a federal court of |
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this state; |
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(6) a current member of the state legislature; and |
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(7) the current governor or lieutenant governor of the |
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state. |
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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)(6) 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)(6) or (7), Family Code, may not 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. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |