Budget Amendment ID: FY2023-S4-778

OTH 778

Ending Child Marriage

Mr. Tarr, Ms. Moran and Mr. O'Connor moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after section _ the following sections:-

"SECTION _. Chapter 207 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out section 7, as appearing in the 2020 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 intended marriage is under the age of 18.

SECTION _. 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 _. Said chapter 207 is hereby further amended by striking out section 25, as so appearing, and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

Section 25. Notwithstanding sections 7, 24 and 33A or any other general or special law to the contrary, any minor who is married may avail themself of all legal remedies and relief that would otherwise be available if they were not a minor, including, but not limited to, initiating proceedings for divorce, annulment and protective order.

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

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 Section 34 of said chapter 207 is hereby repealed.

SECTION _. Section 51 of said chapter 207, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 1 and 2, the words “section seven, twenty-six or thirty-four” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- section 7 or 26.

SECTION _. Section 53 of said chapter 207, as so appearing, 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'."