Requires an eight hour pre-marriage counseling session with a licensed marriage and family therapist before the issuance of a marriage license for persons intending to be married in New York state.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
4588
2011-2012 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 4, 2011
___________
Introduced by M. of A. CASTRO -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. BOYLAND
-- read once and referred to the Committee on Judiciary
AN ACT to amend the domestic relations law, in relation to pre-marriage
counseling
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 13 of the domestic relations law, as amended by
2 chapter 720 of the laws of 1957, is amended to read as follows:
3 § 13. Marriage licenses. 1. It shall be necessary for all persons
4 intended to be married in New York state to obtain a marriage license
5 from a town or city clerk in New York state and to deliver said license,
6 within sixty days, to the clergyman or magistrate who is to officiate
7 before the marriage ceremony may be performed. In case of a marriage
8 contracted pursuant to subdivision four of section eleven of this chap-
9 ter, such license shall be delivered to the judge of the court of record
10 before whom the acknowledgment is to be taken. If either party to the
11 marriage resides upon an island located not less than twenty-five miles
12 from the office or residence of the town clerk of the town of which such
13 island is a part, and if such office or residence is not on such island
14 such license may be obtained from any justice of the peace residing on
15 such island, and such justice, in respect to powers and duties relating
16 to marriage licenses, shall be subject to the provisions of this article
17 governing town clerks and shall file all statements or affidavits
18 received by him while acting under the provisions of this section with
19 the town clerk of such town.
20 2. Before a marriage license shall be issued, persons intending to be
21 married in New York state shall complete one eight hour pre-marriage
22 counseling session with a licensed marriage and family therapist, as
23 defined in section eight thousand four hundred three of the education
24 law.
25 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02999-01-1
