1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to civil law; authorizing marriage solemnization by atheist and humanist 
1.3 	celebrants;amending Minnesota Statutes 2014, sections 517.05; 517.18, 
1.4 	subdivision 5, by adding a subdivision.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 517.05, is amended to read:
1.7 	517.05 CREDENTIALS OF MINISTER OR CELEBRANT.
1.8 	Ministers of any religious denomination, or any other celebrant identified in section 
1.9 	517.18, before they are authorized to solemnize a civil marriage, shall file a copy of their 
1.10 	credentials of license or ordination or, if their organization or religious denomination 
1.11 	does not issue credentials, authority from their governing board or the minister's spiritual 
1.12 	assembly, with the local registrar of a county in this state, who shall record the same 
1.13 	and give a certificate of filing thereof. The place where the credentials are recorded 
1.14 	shall be endorsed upon and recorded with each certificate of civil marriage granted by 
1.15 	a minister or celebrant.

1.16 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 517.18, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
1.17 		Subd. 5.Construction of section. Nothing in subdivisions 2 to 4 or 6 shall be 
1.18 	construed to alter the requirements of section 517.01, 517.09 or 517.10.

1.19 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 517.18, is amended by adding a subdivision 
1.20 	to read:
1.21 		Subd. 6.Atheists and humanists. Civil marriages may be solemnized by an atheist 
1.22 	or humanist celebrant who has been appointed by a board of directors of a self-identified 
2.1 	atheist or humanist organization that sponsors training for such individuals. An atheist 
2.2 	or humanist group appointing such celebrant must be registered as a nonprofit with 
2.3 	the Minnesota Office of the Secretary of State and must have tax-exempt status as an 
2.4 	educational organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.