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Senate Bill 02-034 |
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| The Amendment to the Bill | Bill in Microsoft Word Format | |
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Sixty-third General Assembly STATE OF COLORADO INTRODUCED LLS NO. 02-0232.01 Debbie Haskins SENATE BILL 02-034 SENATE SPONSORSHIP Cairns HOUSE SPONSORSHIP (None) Senate Committees House Committees Judiciary A BILL FOR AN ACT CONCERNING RECOGNITION OF THE BENEFITS OF MARRIAGE. Bill Summary (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not necessarily reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted.) Directs the state registrar of vital statistics ("state registrar") to develop a certificate of commendation recognizing long-term marriages for couples who have been married 25 years or 50 years. Allows one or both of the parties to the marriage or a relative or friend of the married couple to request the certificate. Directs the applicant to submit a marriage certificate or other documentation of the marriage to the state registrar. States that the certificate of commendation shall bear the signature of the governor and the state registrar. Allows the state registrar to accept private gifts, grants, and donations to pay for the costs of issuing the certificates. Authorizes the state registrar to collect a reasonable fee set by the state board of health for the costs of preparing and issuing certificates of commendation. Directs that any fees and donations collected shall be credited to the marriage commendation cash fund created in the act. II. 25-2-107.5. Marriages - legislative declaration - certificates of commendation - application - marriage commendation cash fund. (1) THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY HEREBY FINDS THAT THE STATE SHOULD RECOGNIZE THE BENEFITS TO INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND SOCIETY OF COUPLES WHO HAVE MAINTAINED THEIR COMMITMENT TO EACH OTHER AND THEIR FAMILIES BY REMAINING MARRIED. WITH DIVORCE RATES INCREASING AND THE WELL-DOCUMENTED EVIDENCE OF HARM TO CHILDREN OF DIVORCED FAMILIES, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY DECLARES THAT IT IS THE POLICY OF THE STATE OF COLORADO TO COMMEND THOSE COUPLES WHO HAVE REMAINED MARRIED FOR EITHER TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OR FOR FIFTY YEARS. THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ALSO FINDS THAT IT IS THE POLICY OF THE STATE OF COLORADO TO ENCOURAGE LONG-TERM MARRIAGES AND TO RECOGNIZE THE MARRIED FAMILY AS A POSITIVE AND ESSENTIAL INFLUENCE TOWARD THE WELL-BEING OF SOCIETY. THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FINDS THAT THE STATE'S RECOGNITION OF THE BENEFITS OF LONG-TERM MARRIAGE WILL ALSO HELP YOUNGER INDIVIDUALS VIEW MARRIAGE IN MORE POSITIVE TERMS, SINCE STUDIES SHOW THAT PEOPLE ARE MARRYING LATER IN LIFE, FEWER ARE GETTING MARRIED, AND THOSE WHO DO MARRY ARE MORE LIKELY TO DIVORCE. III. (2) THE STATE REGISTRAR SHALL DEVELOP A CERTIFICATE OF COMMENDATION FOR MARRIED COUPLES WHO HAVE BEEN MARRIED FOR TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OR FOR FIFTY YEARS. SUCH CERTIFICATE SHALL STRESS THE BENEFITS OF LONG-TERM MARRIAGE AND RECOGNIZE THE PARTICULAR MARRIED COUPLE FOR BEING MARRIED IN A LONG-TERM MARRIAGE. EACH CERTIFICATE SHALL INCLUDE A SIGNATURE OR FACSIMILE SIGNATURE OF THE GOVERNOR AND THE STATE REGISTRAR. IV. (3) UPON APPLICATION, THE STATE REGISTRAR SHALL ISSUE A CERTIFICATE OF COMMENDATION TO A MARRIED COUPLE. THE APPLICATION SHALL INCLUDE SUBMITTAL OF A COPY OF THE COUPLE'S MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE OR A COPY OF A BIBLE PAGE, OR WEDDING BOOK, OR OTHER FAMILY DOCUMENT THAT PROVIDES A RECORD OF THE COUPLE'S MARRIAGE. SUCH APPLICATION MAY BE FILED BY ONE OR BOTH OF THE PARTIES TO THE MARRIAGE OR BY A RELATIVE OR FRIEND OF THE MARRIED COUPLE. THE STATE REGISTRAR SHALL COLLECT A REASONABLE FEE FOR ISSUANCE OF THE CERTIFICATE OF COMMENDATION. THE INITIAL FEE SHALL NOT EXCEED TEN DOLLARS AND SHALL BE SET BY RULE OF THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH, BASED UPON THE DIRECT AND INDIRECT COSTS OF PREPARING AND ISSUING THE CERTIFICATES OF COMMENDATION, INCLUDING THE COSTS OF DEVELOPING THE CERTIFICATES. THE STATE BOARD OF HEALTH IS AUTHORIZED BY RULE TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF THE FEE FOR THE CERTIFICATE AS NECESSARY TO ADJUST FOR INFLATION SO THAT THE REVENUE GENERATED FROM THE FEE REFLECTS THE DIRECT AND INDIRECT COSTS OF PREPARING AND ISSUING THE CERTIFICATES OF COMMENDATION. ANY FEES COLLECTED SHALL BE CREDITED TO THE MARRIAGE COMMENDATION CASH FUND CREATED IN SUBSECTION (4) OF THIS SECTION. UPON RECEIPT OF THE APPLICATION AND ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTATION AND PAYMENT OF THE FEE, THE STATE REGISTRAR SHALL PREPARE A CERTIFICATE OF COMMENDATION AND MAIL THE CERTIFICATE TO THE PERSON REQUESTING THE CERTIFICATE. V. (4) THE STATE REGISTRAR IS AUTHORIZED TO ACCEPT GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS FOR THE EXPENSES OF ISSUING CERTIFICATES OF COMMENDATION PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION. ANY GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS, AND ANY FEES COLLECTED PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (3) OF THIS SECTION, SHALL BE CREDITED TO THE MARRIAGE COMMENDATION CASH FUND, WHICH FUND IS HEREBY CREATED IN THE STATE TREASURY. MONEYS IN THE MARRIAGE COMMENDATION CASH FUND SHALL BE SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO PAY FOR THE DIRECT AND INDIRECT COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATES OF COMMENDATION PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION. ALL INTEREST DERIVED FROM THE DEPOSIT AND INVESTMENT OF MONEYS IN THE MARRIAGE COMMENDATION CASH FUND SHALL BE CREDITED TO SAID FUND. AT THE END OF ANY FISCAL YEAR, ALL UNEXPENDED AND UNENCUMBERED MONEYS IN THE MARRIAGE COMMENDATION CASH FUND SHALL REMAIN THEREIN AND SHALL NOT BE CREDITED OR TRANSFERRED TO THE GENERAL FUND OR ANY OTHER FUND. SECTION Effective date. This act shall take effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly that is allowed for submitting a referendum petition pursuant to article V, section 1 (3) of the state constitution; except that, if a referendum petition is filed against this act or an item, section, or part of this act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part, if approved by the people, shall take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by proclamation of the governor. SB02-034 |
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