Persons other than ministers who may celebrate rites of marriage; filing of the marriage record.

Persons other than ministers who may celebrate rites of marriage; filing of the marriage record. Provides that a marriage license application shall allow parties to a marriage to designate an officiant to celebrate the rites of marriage, provided that such officiant is not younger than 18 years of age and is not a party to the marriage. The bill provides that a license issued with such designation shall serve as authorization for such officiant to celebrate the rites of marriage anywhere in the Commonwealth without the necessity of bond or further order of authorization. The bill removes the bond requirement for a person chosen by a religious society having no ordained minister to complete the certification of marriage. The bill further removes confinement in jail from the penalty for celebrating a marriage without a license. The bill also removes confinement in jail from the penalty for a clerk knowingly issuing a marriage license contrary to law. The bill further allows either the officiant or a party to the marriage to file the marriage record with the State Registrar within five days after the ceremony. Under current law, the officiant is required to file such a record, but a party to the marriage is not allowed to do so.