Amendment #12 to H4012

Ending child marriage in the Commonwealth

Mr. Jones of North Reading moves to amend the bill by adding the following sections:

SECTION X. Chapter 207 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out section 7 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 XX. Said chapter 207, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out section 24 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 XXX. Section 25 of said chapter 207, as so appearing, is hereby repealed.

SECTION XXXX. Section 27 of said chapter 207, as appearing is hereby amended by striking out the second and third sentences.

SECTION XXXXX. Said chapter 207, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by striking out section 33A 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 the age of the parties and verifying that neither party is under the age of 18. Such proof shall be contained in any of the following documents, graded and taking precedence in the order named: (1) an original or certified copy of a record of birth; (2) an original or certified copy of a baptismal record; (3) a passport; (4) a life insurance policy; (5) an employment certificate; (6) a school record; (7) an immigration record; (8) a naturalization record; or (9) a court record. Documentary evidence of a lower grade as aforesaid shall not be received by the clerk or registrar unless the clerk or registrar is satisfied that evidence of a higher grade is not readily procurable.

SECTION XXXXXX. Section 34 of said chapter 207, as so appearing, is hereby repealed.

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

SECTION XXXXXXXX. Chapter 272 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out section 1 and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

Section 1. Whoever fraudulently and deceitfully entices or takes away an unmarried person under eighteen, for the purpose of effectuating a clandestine marriage of such person, shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than 1 year or by a fine of not more than $1,000, or both.