Bill to do away with marriage licenses will be back

MONTGOMERY — Two years after a federal judge ruled Alabama’s ban on gay marriage was unconstitutional, a state senator said he’s again sponsoring legislation to do away with the need for marriage licenses.

Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Range, said his bill for the 2017 legislative session, which starts next month, is similar to last year’s.

Albritton’s bill provides that, instead of issuing licenses as they do now, probate judges would record a civil contract of marriage between two people. It would end the requirement that couples obtain marriage licenses from probate judges prior to a wedding. Instead, marriages would be a legal contract, witnessed by clergy, attorney or notary public, and filed with the state through the probate office.

Albritton said the bill would end continued controversy and confusion over marriage licenses.

Read more: http://www.decaturdaily.com/news/capital_notes_and_quotes/capital-notebook-bill-to-do-away-with-marriage-licenses-will/article_f3f980a9-81b9-5f8a-976a-f130bda91165.html