83R4830 KSD-F
By: Elkins H.B. No. 984
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to certain information required to be provided to an
applicant for a marriage license.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 2.009(c), Family Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(c) On the proper execution of the application, the clerk
shall:
(1) prepare the license;
(2) enter on the license the names of the licensees,
the date that the license is issued, and, if applicable, the name of
the person appointed to act as proxy for an absent applicant, if
any;
(3) record the time at which the license was issued;
(4) distribute to each applicant written notice of the
online location of the information prepared under Section 2.010
regarding [printed materials about] acquired immune deficiency
syndrome (AIDS) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and note on
the license that the distribution was made; and
(5) distribute to each applicant a premarital
education handbook provided by the attorney general under Section
2.014 or written notice of the online location of that handbook.
SECTION 2. Section 2.010, Family Code, is amended to read as
follows:
Sec. 2.010. AIDS INFORMATION; POSTING ON INTERNET. The
[Materials providing information about acquired immune deficiency
syndrome (AIDS) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) shall be
prepared and provided to the clerk by the Texas] Department of State
Health Services [and] shall prepare and make available to the
public on its Internet website information about acquired immune
deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
The information must be designed to inform an applicant for a
marriage license [the applicants] about:
(1) the incidence and mode of transmission of AIDS and
HIV;
(2) the local availability of medical procedures,
including voluntary testing, designed to show or help show whether
a person has AIDS or HIV infection, antibodies to HIV, or infection
with any other probable causative agent of AIDS; and
(3) available and appropriate counseling services
regarding AIDS and HIV infection.
SECTION 3. Section 2.014(c), Family Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(c) The premarital education handbook under Subsection
(b)(1) must:
(1) as provided by Section 2.009(c)(5), [shall] be
distributed to each applicant for a marriage license or made
available in an electronic form on a publicly accessible Internet
website; [as provided by Section 2.009(c)(5)] and
(2) [shall] contain information on:
(A) [(1)] conflict management;
(B) [(2)] communication skills;
(C) [(3)] children and parenting
responsibilities; and
(D) [(4)] financial responsibilities.
SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
an application for a marriage license submitted to a county clerk on
or after the effective date of this Act. An application for a
marriage license submitted before the effective date of this Act is
governed by the law in effect immediately before that date, and the
former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.