H.B. No. 4183
AN ACT
relating to a waiver of the waiting period for a marriage ceremony.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 2.204(c), Family Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(c) An applicant may request a judge of a court with
jurisdiction in family law cases, a justice of the supreme court, a
judge of the court of criminal appeals, a county judge, [or] a judge
of a court of appeals, an associate judge appointed under Chapter
201, an associate judge appointed under Chapter 54A, Government
Code, or a justice of the peace for a written waiver permitting the
marriage ceremony to take place during the 72-hour period
immediately following the issuance of the marriage license. If the
judge, associate judge, or justice finds that there is good cause
for the marriage to take place during the period, the judge,
associate judge, or justice shall sign the waiver. Notwithstanding
any other provision of law, a judge, associate judge, or justice
under this section has the authority to sign a waiver under this
section.
SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only
to a marriage ceremony for which a marriage license application is
filed on or after the effective date of this Act. A marriage
ceremony for which a marriage license application is filed before
the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on
the date the application was filed, and the former law is continued
in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 4183 was passed by the House on April
28, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 129, Nays 15, 2 present, not
voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
No. 4183 on May 26, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 126, Nays 10,
2 present, not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 4183 was passed by the Senate, with
amendments, on May 24, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays
1.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: __________________
Date
__________________
Governor