§§1,2

T & E

§3

Approp.

§§1-4

Note to

R.S.37:1-12 and

C.37:1-12.1

P.L. 2022, CHAPTER 23, approved June 30, 2022

Senate, No. 2861

An Act concerning fees for issuing marriage and civil union licenses and makes an appropriation

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

     1.    Notwithstanding the provisions of R.S.37:1-12, section 1 of P.L.1981, c.382 (C.37:1-12.1), or any other law to the contrary, for the period beginning July 1, 2022 and ending June 30, 2023, a licensing officer shall not charge or collect a fee for issuing a marriage or civil union license from a marriage license or civil union license applicant.

     2.    The State shall reimburse a municipality for the fees authorized by R.S.37:1-12 which have been suspended by the provisions of section 1 of this act.  To assist in the reimbursements authorized by this section, the Office of Vital Statistics and Registry in the Department of Health shall provide to the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs marriage certificates submitted to the office by municipalities. 

     3.    There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of the Treasury an amount not to exceed $2,000,000, subject to the approval of the Director of the Division of Budget and Accounting, for the purpose of reimbursing municipalities pursuant to section 2 of this act. 

     4.    This act shall take effect on July 1, 2022 and shall expire on June 30, 2023.

STATEMENT

     This bill waives the fees charged by municipalities to issue marriage and civil union licenses for the State Fiscal Year 2023, which runs from July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023. 

     Under current law, municipal licensing officers collect a $3 fee for issuing a marriage or civil union license.  In addition to this fee, these officers also are required to collect a $25 fee for each license, to be forwarded to the Department of Human Services for the purpose of providing shelter-related services to victims of domestic violence.  Under the bill, both of these fees would be waived for one year.  The bill appropriates $2 million to reimburse municipalities for the $3 fee. 

     The Governor’s Fiscal Year 2023 budget recommendations include enacting legislation to waive marriage and civil union license fees in Fiscal Year 2023. 

     Waives fees for marriage and civil union licenses in Fiscal Year 2023; appropriates $2 million.