By: Springer, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Hughes)	H.B. No. 555
	(In the Senate - Received from the House May 5, 2017;
	May 9, 2017, read first time and referred to Committee on State
	Affairs; May 18, 2017, reported favorably by the following vote:
	Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 18, 2017, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to an additional fee for issuing a marriage license to
	applicants who are not residents of this state.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Section 118.011(b), Local Government Code, as
	effective until September 1, 2019, is amended to read as follows:
	(b)  The county clerk may set and collect the following fee
	from any person:
	(1)  Returned Check (Sec. 118.0215) . . . . . . not
	less than $15 or more than $30
	(2)  Records Management and Preservation Fee
	(Sec. 118.0216) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . not more
	than $10
	(3)  Mental Health Background Check for License to
	Carry a Handgun (Sec. 118.0217) . . . . . not more than $2
	(4)  Marriage License for Out-of-State Applicants
	(Sec. 118.018) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $100
	SECTION 2.  Section 118.011(b), Local Government Code, as
	effective September 1, 2019, is amended to read as follows:
	(b)  The county clerk may set and collect the following fee
	from any person:
	(1)  Returned Check (Sec. 118.0215)  . . . . . . not
	less than $15 or more than $30
	(2)  Records Management and Preservation Fee (Sec.
	118.0216)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . not more
	than $5
	(3)  Mental Health Background Check for License to
	Carry a Handgun (Sec. 118.0217)  . . . . . not more than $2
	(4)  Marriage License for Out-of-State Applicants
	(Sec. 118.018) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $100
	SECTION 3.  Section 118.018, Local Government Code, is
	amended by amending Subsection (b-1) and adding Subsection (d) to
	read as follows:
	(b-1)  The county clerk shall issue a marriage license
	without collecting a marriage license fee from an applicant who:
	(1)  completes a premarital education course described
	by Section 2.013, Family Code; [and]
	(2)  provides to the county clerk a premarital
	education course completion certificate indicating completion of
	the premarital education course not more than one year before the
	date the marriage license application is filed with the clerk; and
	(3)  provides proof satisfactory to the county clerk
	that the applicant is a resident of this state.
	(d)  If neither applicant for a marriage license provides
	proof satisfactory to the county clerk that the applicant is a
	resident of this state, the county clerk may collect an additional
	fee of $100 for issuing the marriage license.
	SECTION 4.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
	to a marriage license issued on or after January 1, 2018. A
	marriage license issued before January 1, 2018, is governed by the
	law in effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, and
	the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
	SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
	Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
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