103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
HB1111

 

Introduced 1/12/2023, by Rep. Jonathan Carroll

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
750 ILCS 5/209  from Ch. 40, par. 209

    Amends the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act. Provides that a marriage may be solemnized by a State executive branch constitutional officer who is in office on the date of the solemnization or by a member of the General Assembly who is in office on the date of the solemnization.


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A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning civil law.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of
5Marriage Act is amended by changing Section 209 as follows:
 
6    (750 ILCS 5/209)  (from Ch. 40, par. 209)
7    Sec. 209. Solemnization and registration.
8    (a) A marriage may be solemnized by a judge of a court of
9record, by a retired judge of a court of record, unless the
10retired judge was removed from office by the Judicial Inquiry
11Board, except that a retired judge shall not receive any
12compensation from the State, a county or any unit of local
13government in return for the solemnization of a marriage and
14there shall be no effect upon any pension benefits conferred
15by the Judges Retirement System of Illinois, by a judge of the
16Court of Claims, by a county clerk in counties having
172,000,000 or more inhabitants, by a public official whose
18powers include solemnization of marriages, by a mayor or
19president of a city, village, or incorporated town who is in
20office on the date of the solemnization, by a State executive
21branch constitutional officer who is in office on the date of
22the solemnization, by a member of the General Assembly who is
23in office on the date of the solemnization, or in accordance

 

 

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1with the prescriptions of any religious denomination, Indian
2Nation or Tribe or Native Group, provided that when such
3prescriptions require an officiant, the officiant be in good
4standing with his or her religious denomination, Indian Nation
5or Tribe or Native Group. Either the person solemnizing the
6marriage, or, if no individual acting alone solemnized the
7marriage, both parties to the marriage, shall complete the
8marriage certificate form and forward it to the county clerk
9within 10 days after such marriage is solemnized. A mayor or
10president of a city, village, or incorporated town shall not
11receive any compensation in return for the solemnization of a
12marriage.
13    (a-5) Nothing in this Act shall be construed to require
14any religious denomination or Indian Nation or Tribe or Native
15Group, or any minister, clergy, or officiant acting as a
16representative of a religious denomination or Indian Nation or
17Tribe or Native Group, to solemnize any marriage. Instead, any
18religious denomination or Indian Nation or Tribe or Native
19Group, or any minister, clergy, or officiant acting as a
20representative of a religious denomination or Indian Nation or
21Tribe or Native Group is free to choose which marriages it will
22solemnize. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, a
23refusal by a religious denomination or Indian Nation or Tribe
24or Native Group, or any minister, clergy, or officiant acting
25as a representative of a religious denomination or Indian
26Nation or Tribe or Native Group to solemnize any marriage

 

 

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1under this Act shall not create or be the basis for any civil,
2administrative, or criminal penalty, claim, or cause of
3action.
4    (a-10) No church, mosque, synagogue, temple,
5nondenominational ministry, interdenominational or ecumenical
6organization, mission organization, or other organization
7whose principal purpose is the study, practice, or advancement
8of religion is required to provide religious facilities for
9the solemnization ceremony or celebration associated with the
10solemnization ceremony of a marriage if the solemnization
11ceremony or celebration associated with the solemnization
12ceremony is in violation of its religious beliefs. An entity
13identified in this subsection (a-10) shall be immune from any
14civil, administrative, criminal penalty, claim, or cause of
15action based on its refusal to provide religious facilities
16for the solemnization ceremony or celebration associated with
17the solemnization ceremony of a marriage if the solemnization
18ceremony or celebration associated with the solemnization
19ceremony is in violation of its religious beliefs. As used in
20this subsection (a-10), "religious facilities" means
21sanctuaries, parish halls, fellowship halls, and similar
22facilities. "Religious facilities" does not include facilities
23such as businesses, health care facilities, educational
24facilities, or social service agencies.
25    (b) The solemnization of the marriage is not invalidated:
26(1) by the fact that the person solemnizing the marriage was

 

 

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1not legally qualified to solemnize it, if a reasonable person
2would believe the person solemnizing the marriage to be so
3qualified; or (2) by the fact that the marriage was
4inadvertently solemnized in a county in Illinois other than
5the county where the license was issued and filed.
6    (c) Any marriage that meets the requirements of this
7Section shall be presumed valid.
8(Source: P.A. 101-14, eff. 6-14-19.)