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HF 1015

as introduced - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 02/18/2015 11:18am

KEY: stricken = removed, old language.
underscored = added, new language.
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A bill for an act
 relating to civil law; authorizing marriage solemnization by atheist and humanist
celebrants; amending Minnesota Statutes 2014, sections 517.05; 517.18,
subdivision 5, by adding a subdivision.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 517.05, is amended to read:


517.05 CREDENTIALS OF MINISTERnew text begin OR CELEBRANTnew text end .

Ministers of any religious denomination,new text begin or any other celebrant identified in section
517.18,new text end before they are authorized to solemnize a civil marriage, shall file a copy of their
credentials of license or ordination or, if their new text begin organization or new text end religious denomination
does not issue credentials, authority fromnew text begin their governing board ornew text end the minister's spiritual
assembly, with the local registrar of a county in this state, who shall record the same
and give a certificate of filing thereof. The place where the credentials are recorded
shall be endorsed upon and recorded with each certificate of civil marriage granted by
a ministernew text begin or celebrantnew text end .

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 517.18, subdivision 5, is amended to read:


Subd. 5.

Construction of section.

Nothing in subdivisions 2 to 4new text begin or 6new text end shall be
construed to alter the requirements of section 517.01, 517.09 or 517.10.

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 517.18, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:


new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Atheists and humanists. new text end

new text begin Civil marriages may be solemnized by an atheist
or humanist celebrant who has been appointed by a board of directors of a self-identified
atheist or humanist organization that sponsors training for such individuals. An atheist
or humanist group appointing such celebrant must be registered as a nonprofit with
the Minnesota Office of the Secretary of State and must have tax-exempt status as an
educational organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
 new text end