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Panel considers allowing fillable marriage worksheets and a fee for delayed certificates
Summary
Representative Paul Darje told the Judiciary Committee HB 12-60 would let applicants complete the marriage worksheet outside the clerk's office (including a fillable PDF) and would add a $25 fee for delayed certificates; town clerks and the registrar described current paperwork burdens and raised implementation questions.
Representative Paul Darje introduced HB 12-60, saying the bill would permit marriage registration worksheets to be completed outside the presence of the town or city clerk and would allow (but not require) a fillable PDF version of the worksheet. Darje also proposed adding a $25 fee for a delayed certificate of marriage to roughly cover the clerk’s additional work.
"There has been an average of 9,250 marriages per year in New Hampshire over the past 3 years," Darje said, arguing that permitting applicants to prepare worksheets ahead of time and avoiding difficult handwriting would reduce data errors.
Joan Darje, a town clerk and former president of the New Hampshire City and Town Clerks Association, told the committee the current practice requires applicants to complete the worksheet in front of the clerk, which can create scheduling difficulties and lead to long appointments. She supported adding a clerk signature on the worksheet to verify identity and deter fraud.
Kristen Martino, registrar and director of vital records, said the Secretary of State’s division was taking a neutral stance and answered procedural questions: current statute requires the couple to be physically present before the clerk, but a fillable PDF would speed the administrative process if enacted.
Committee members raised operational and equity questions, including whether the delayed-fee should fall on couples who were not at fault for late finalization and whether statutory references to "bride" and "groom" should be modernized to non-gendered language; Darje said he was open to wording changes to reference "two people" getting married.
The committee closed the hearing after testimony and questions. No committee action was taken on the bill during the hearing.
