HOUSE BILL REPORT
HB 1657
As Passed House:
February 13, 2023
Title: An act relating to the authority of justices, judges, and judicial officers of federal courts to solemnize marriages.
Brief Description: Authorizing justices, judges, and judicial officers of federal courts to solemnize marriages.
Sponsors: Representatives Street, Cheney, Simmons, Taylor, Ormsby and Hutchins.
Brief History:
Committee Activity:
Civil Rights & Judiciary: 2/1/23, 2/3/23 [DP].
Floor Activity:
Passed House: 2/13/23, 96-0.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Authorizes federal justices, judges, and judicial officers to solemnize marriages.
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON CIVIL RIGHTS & JUDICIARY
Majority Report: Do pass.Signed by 11 members:Representatives Hansen, Chair; Farivar, Vice Chair; Walsh, Ranking Minority Member; Graham, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Cheney, Entenman, Goodman, Peterson, Rude, Thai and Walen.
Staff: John Burzynski (786-7133).
Background:

Washington authorizes several officers and persons, active or retired, to solemnize marriages, including Washington court justices, judges, and commissioners; judges of tribal courts from a federally recognized tribe; and any regularly licensed or ordained minister or any priest, imam, rabbi, or similar official of any religious organization.
Summary of Bill:

Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States, and all judges and judicial officers of the federal courts, are authorized to solemnize marriages.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Not requested.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.
Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) Federal judges should be allowed to oversee a wedding.  Current law provides a list of judges who can oversee weddings, but federal judges are not included.  This is believed to be an oversight.  In one instance, a federal judge was asked by her cousin to oversee a wedding but had to obtain a certificate online and become a minister to officiate the wedding.  This bill would make a small bipartisan change in the law.

 

(Opposed) None.
Persons Testifying: Representative Chipalo Street, prime sponsor.
Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.