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An Act To Remove Clergy as Signatories on Marriage Licenses
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 19-A MRSA §655, sub-§1,  as amended by PL 2001, c. 574, §6, is further amended to read:
 
1. Persons authorized to solemnize marriages.   The following may solemnize marriages in this State:
 
A.  If a resident of this State:
 
(1) A justice or judge;
 
(2) A lawyer admitted to the Maine Bar; orand
 
(4) A notary public under Title 4, chapter 19; and.
 
B.   Whether a resident or nonresident of this State and whether or not a citizen of the United States:
 
(1) An ordained minister of the gospel;
 
(2) A cleric engaged in the service of the religious body to which the cleric belongs; or
 
(3) A person licensed to preach by an association of ministers, religious seminary or ecclesiastical body.
Sec. 2. 19-A MRSA §657,  as amended by PL 2001, c. 574, §7, is further amended to read:
§ 657. Lack of jurisdiction or authority
A marriage, solemnized before any known inhabitant of the State professing to be a justice, judge,or notary public or an ordained or licensed minister of the gospel, is not void, nor is its validity affected by any want of jurisdiction or authority in the justice, judge,or notary or minister or by any omission or informality in entering the intention of marriage, if the marriage is in other respects lawful and consummated with a full belief, on the part of either of the persons married, that they are lawfully married.
 
SUMMARY
This bill removes the authorization of clergy members to solemnize marriages.