SENATE DOCKET, NO. 292        FILED ON: 1/27/2021

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 937

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Harriette L. Chandler

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act to end child marriage in Massachusetts.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

Harriette L. Chandler

First Worcester

 

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

 

Jack Patrick Lewis

7th Middlesex

2/2/2021

Sal N. DiDomenico

Middlesex and Suffolk

2/2/2021

David Allen Robertson

19th Middlesex

2/3/2021

Thomas M. Stanley

9th Middlesex

2/5/2021

Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.

12th Hampden

2/5/2021

Edward J. Kennedy

First Middlesex

2/10/2021

Susannah M. Whipps

2nd Franklin

2/15/2021

Bradley H. Jones, Jr.

20th Middlesex

2/19/2021

Jason M. Lewis

Fifth Middlesex

2/22/2021

Carmine Lawrence Gentile

13th Middlesex

2/24/2021

Christopher Hendricks

11th Bristol

2/26/2021

Patrick M. O'Connor

Plymouth and Norfolk

2/26/2021

Lindsay N. Sabadosa

1st Hampshire

2/26/2021

Patricia D. Jehlen

Second Middlesex

3/2/2021

Anne M. Gobi

Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Middlesex

3/13/2021

Joan B. Lovely

Second Essex

3/15/2021

Sonia Chang-Diaz

Second Suffolk

4/14/2021

Bruce E. Tarr

First Essex and Middlesex

4/29/2021

Julian Cyr

Cape and Islands

5/10/2021

Christina A. Minicucci

14th Essex

5/25/2021

David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf

17th Worcester

5/25/2021

Brian W. Murray

10th Worcester

5/27/2021

Mary S. Keefe

15th Worcester

5/28/2021

John C. Velis

Second Hampden and Hampshire

6/11/2021

Joanne M. Comerford

Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester

6/11/2021

Rebecca L. Rausch

Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex

6/11/2021

Brendan P. Crighton

Third Essex

6/17/2021

Cindy F. Friedman

Fourth Middlesex

6/25/2021

Michael J. Soter

8th Worcester

6/30/2021

John F. Keenan

Norfolk and Plymouth

7/1/2021

Michael D. Brady

Second Plymouth and Bristol

7/13/2021

John J. Cronin

Worcester and Middlesex

7/13/2021

Mark C. Montigny

Second Bristol and Plymouth

8/5/2021

Susan L. Moran

Plymouth and Barnstable

8/18/2021

Paul R. Feeney

Bristol and Norfolk

9/15/2021

Adam G. Hinds

Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden

9/24/2021

Eric P. Lesser

First Hampden and Hampshire

1/18/2022

Lydia Edwards

First Suffolk and Middlesex

1/31/2022


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 292        FILED ON: 1/27/2021

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 937

By Ms. Chandler, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 937) of Harriette L. Chandler, Kay Khan, Jack Patrick Lewis, Sal N. DiDomenico and other members of the General Court for legislation to end child marriage in Massachusetts.  The Judiciary.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 2294 OF 2019-2020.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

_______________

 

An Act to end child marriage in Massachusetts.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Chapter 207 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out section 7, as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

Section 7. A magistrate or minister shall not solemnize a marriage if a party to the marriage is under the age of 18.

SECTION 2. Said chapter 207 is hereby further amended by striking out section 24, as so appearing, and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

Section 24. The clerk or registrar shall not receive a notice of the intention of marriage of a person under the age of 18.

SECTION 3. Section 25 of said chapter 207 is hereby repealed.

SECTION 4. Section 27 of said chapter 207, as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the second and third sentences.

SECTION 5. Said chapter 207 is hereby further amended by striking out section 33A, as so appearing, and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

Section 33A. The clerk or registrar shall not issue a certificate under section 28 before receiving proof of age of the parties and verifying that both parties are not less than 18 years of age. Such proof shall be contained in any of the following documents, graded and taking precedence in the following order: (i) an original or certified copy of a record of birth; (ii) an original or certified copy of a baptismal record; (iii) a passport; (iv) a life insurance policy; (v) an employment certificate; (vi) a school record; (vii) an immigration record; (viii) a naturalization record; or (ix) a court record.  The clerk or registrar shall not accept documentary evidence of a lower grade unless the clerk or registrar is satisfied that evidence of a higher grade is not readily procurable.

SECTION 6. Section 34 of said chapter 207 is hereby repealed.

SECTION 7. Section 53 of said chapter 207, as appearing in the 2018 Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 2, the words “section thirty–three” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- sections 24 and 33A.