COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR
Senate Bill No. 578
(By Senator Bailey)
____________
[Originating in the Committee on the Judiciary;
reported February 26, 1999.]
____________
A BILL to amend article two, chapter five of the code of West
Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, by
adding thereto a new section, designated section four,
relating to establishing a statewide registry for persons
authorized to celebrate marriages; creating a registration
period of five years and a registration fee; requiring persons
to register with the secretary of state; and requiring
secretary of state to supply forms, update the registry
biannually and publish the registry on the internet when
possible.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That article two, chapter five of the code of West Virginia,
one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended by
adding thereto a new section, designated section four, to read as follows:
ARTICLE 2. SECRETARY OF STATE.
§5-2-4. Statewide registry for persons authorized to celebrate marriages.
(a) The secretary of state shall establish a central registry
for persons authorized to celebrate marriages pursuant to section
twelve, article one, chapter forty-eight of this code that is
easily accessible by the public.
(b) Every person authorized to celebrate marriages shall
register with the secretary of state on a form prescribed by the
secretary of state. Such registration shall be valid for a period
of five years. The clerks of the county commissions shall maintain
a supply of forms from the secretary of state to facilitate
registration. A registration fee shall be charged not to exceed
twenty-five dollars to administer the program.
(c) The
secretary of state shall publish the
registry on the
internet, when possible,
and annually supply
the clerks of the
county commissions with a copy of the registry so that it may be
made available to the public at the office of the clerk.
(d) The secretary of state shall update the registry
biannually.
(e) No marriage performed by a person authorized by law to
celebrate marriages shall be invalidated solely because the person failed to meet the requirements of this section.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to establish a statewide
central registry for persons authorized to celebrate marriages that
is easily accessible by the public. Persons authorized to
celebrate marriages are required to register with the secretary of
state on a form prescribed by the secretary of state, who shall
update the registry biannually and publish it on the internet when
possible.
This section is new; therefore, strike-throughs and
underscoring have been omitted.