HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	248
THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2021
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to personal relationships.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

PART I

SECTION 1. The purpose of this Act is to establish a category of authorized, secular wedding and civil union practitioners to be known as "civil celebrants", thereby ensuring equal treatment of religious and secular wedding and civil union practitioners regarding the rite of marriage.

PART II

SECTION 2. Section 572-12, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§572-12 By whom solemnized. (a) A license to solemnize marriages may be issued to, and the marriage rite may be performed and solemnized by [any]:

(1) Any minister, priest, or officer of any religious denomination or society who has been ordained or is authorized to solemnize marriages according to the usages of [such] the denomination or society[, or any];

(2) Any religious society not having clergy but providing solemnization in accordance with the rules and customs of that society[, or any];

(3) Any justice or judge or magistrate, active or retired, of a state or federal court in the State[,]; or

(4) Any civil celebrant,

upon presentation to [such] the person or society solemnizing the marriage of a license to marry, as prescribed by this chapter. [Such] The person or society solemnizing the marriage may receive the price stipulated by the parties or the gratification tendered.

(b) As used in this section, "civil celebrant" means a member of a secular or non-religious organization who is authorized by the organization to solemnize marriages."

SECTION 3. Section 572B-4, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

"(b) Any judge or retired judge, including a federal judge or judge of another state who may legally join persons in [chapter 572] a marriage or [a] civil union, may solemnize a civil union. Any clergy, minister, priest, rabbi, or officer of any religious denomination or society who has been ordained or is authorized to solemnize civil unions according to the usages of [such] the denomination or society, or any religious society not having clergy but providing solemnization in accordance with the rules and customs of that society, may solemnize a civil union. Any civil celebrant, as defined in section 572-12, may solemnize a civil union."

PART III

SECTION 4. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

Marriages; Civil Unions; Solemnizations; Wedding Performers; Civil Celebrants

Description:

Authorizes members of secular or non-religious organizations to solemnize marriages and civil unions.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.