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Senate restores and expands ability for legislators to solemnize marriages; House bill passes on third reading
Summary
House Bill 238, authorizing broader categories of people (including legislators) to solemnize marriages in some circumstances, passed the Senate on third reading 23–3. Sponsors cited pandemic-related closures of county clerks as motivation.
Senator McKay presented House Bill 238 as a modest expansion of who is authorized to solemnize marriages, noting pandemic-era county clerk closures that left some couples without a readily available designee. "There are other states that allow this, that allow legislators to marry people," McKay said, and he framed the bill as restoring a narrow, practical option for constituents.
Several senators asked clarifying questions about whether an elected official could charge for performing a marriage and whether conflict-of-interest concerns require additional guardrails. McKay said existing rules governing wedding services would continue to apply and that he was willing to perform ceremonies without charging a fee.
The Senate read House Bill 238 for a third time; the roll-call reflected 23 yay votes, 3 nay votes and 3 absent. Sponsors said the bill will proceed to the usual enrollment steps and transmittal.
What's next: The bill will be enrolled and returned to the House as required by legislative procedure for final steps.
