Panel reviews bill to replace 'bride' and 'groom' with 'applicant' in state statute; exec session postponed

The House Children and Family Law Committee held a hearing April 15 on Senate Bill 269, which would replace the terms "bride" and "groom" with "applicant" in the state Bridal Records Act to make the statute gender-neutral.

Representative Peter Petrino, speaking for absent sponsor Sen. Deborah Alchula, introduced SB 269. "Good morning, mister chairman and members of the committee. I'm Representative Peter Petrino ... and I am pleased to introduce Senate bill 269 on behalf of Senator, Deborah Alchula, who is not here to take any questions," Petrino said during opening remarks.

Committee members asked whether the change was merely "housekeeping" or if it could have downstream legal effects. Representative Seidel asked why the wording change was necessary. Petrino and others said the amendment reflects same-sex marriage being recognized and removes traditional gendered language from statute.

Representative Raymond cited state statute when explaining how party designations currently appear in law, saying that existing statute designates parties "bride, groom, or spouse." Several members said they understood the proposal as aligning statutory language with the Marriage Equality Act and with forms used by the Judicial Branch and the secretary of state.

A practicing family law attorney who identified themself in the hearing warned that the change may be redundant with existing vital statistics forms and raised the possibility — though not asserting it as a certainty — that altering timing or matrimonial-age provisions could have unintended interactions with the state's alimony statute. "In sum, I just don't see with this piece of legislation is needed," the attorney said, asking the committee to consider whether the Judicial Branch's existing forms already address the issue.

Committee members also questioned language in the bill that strikes references to matrimonial age and time waivers. Petrino said the bill preserves the statutory minimum marriage age of 18; he could not explain why certain lines were struck and advised the committee to check related statutes and forms.

Several members said the secretary of state's office had requested modernized language; one substitute member said the office had asked for the change to standardize language nationally and to replace gendered terms with the neutral "applicants." Members expressed frustration that no one from the secretary of state's office appeared to answer questions.

After extended discussion and a closed partisan caucus, the chairman conducted an informal thumb poll and announced that the committee would end the public hearing and postpone the executive session to a later date for more study and follow-up. "This will end the committee hearing, and the exec session will be postponed to a later date," the chairman said. No formal committee vote on SB 269 was recorded during the meeting.

The committee said it would reconvene for its executive session at a later date after members had reviewed forms and sought clarification from the secretary of state and other stakeholders.