St. Paul, MN – On Monday, August 1, a number of bills passed by the Legislature officially became law. Among the numerous new laws is a provision chief authored by Rep. Dennis Smith, R-Maple Grove, to eliminate the five-day waiting period for a marriage license.
Under the former law, there was an exemption process if an applicant could show extraordinary circumstances or it was an emergency. Judges throughout the state have complied with 100% of the exemptions applied for since records began. The former law dates back to 1933 and creates unnecessary government expense. In the House, this bill received broad support and passed 114-15.
“I’m proud to pass a common sense, bipartisan bill into law to make Minnesotans’ lives easier,” said Smith. “By getting rid of this unnecessary waiting period, we save money and time on court expenses, and help streamline our statutes.”
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