An Act To Allow a Nonresident Notary Public or Justice of the Peace To Perform a Single Wedding Ceremony
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 0138
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: BRIGGS, PATRICK, BEAUDOIN, BRYANT, CAIN, GRAHAM, MALONEY, MITCHELL, PETERSON, TRAHAN
Amends: 19-A MRSA §654, 19-A MRSA §655

Legislative Document 
No. 138 
H.P. 120 
House of Representatives, January 20, 2011 
An Act To Allow a Nonresident Notary Public or Justice of the 
Peace To Perform a Single Wedding Ceremony 
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed. 
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative BRIGGS of Mexico. 
Cosponsored by Senator PATRICK of Oxford and 
Representatives: BEAUDOIN of Biddeford, BRYANT of Windham, CAIN of Orono, 
GRAHAM of North Yarmouth, MALONEY of Augusta, MITCHELL of the Penobscot Nation, 
PETERSON of Rumford, Senator: TRAHAN of Lincoln. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  19-A MRSA §654, sub-§3, ¶B, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 
and affected by Pt. E, §2, is amended to read: 
B.    The date the notary public's commission expires; or 
Sec. 2.  19-A MRSA §654, sub-§3, ¶C, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 
and affected by Pt. E, §2, is amended to read: 
C.    The date the lawyer was admitted to the Maine Bar.; or 
Sec. 3.  19-A MRSA §654, sub-§3, ¶D is enacted to read: 
D.  The date the person's temporary registration certificate was issued under section 
655, subsection 1-A. 
Sec. 4.  19-A MRSA §655, sub-§1, ¶A, as amended by PL 2001, c. 574, §6, is 
further amended to read: 
A.    If a resident of this State: 
 (1)  A justice or judge; 
 (2)  A lawyer admitted to the Maine Bar; or 
 (4)  A notary public under Title 4, chapter 19; and 
Sec. 5.  19-A MRSA §655, sub-§1, ¶B, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 
and affected by Pt. E, §2, is amended to read: 
B.    Whether a resident or nonresident of this State and whether or not a citizen of 
the United States: 
 (1)  An ordained minister of the gospel; 
 (2)  A cleric engaged in the service of the religious body to which the cleric 
belongs; or 
 (3)  A person licensed to preach by an association of ministers, religious 
seminary or ecclesiastical body.; and 
Sec. 6.  19-A MRSA §655, sub-§1, ¶C is enacted to read: 
C.  A nonresident of the State who has a temporary registration certificate issued by 
the State Registrar of Vital Statistics pursuant to subsection 1-A. 
Sec. 7.  19-A MRSA §655, sub-§1-A is enacted to read: 
1-A.  Temporary registration certificate.  A nonresident of the State who is 
authorized under the laws of another state to perform in that state the duties of a notary 
public or justice of the peace may apply to the State Registrar of Vital Statistics for 
temporary authority to solemnize a marriage in this State.  A person seeking a temporary 
registration certificate under this subsection must submit to the State Registrar of Vital 
Statistics: 
A.  Evidence the person is authorized under the laws of another state to perform in 
that state the duties of a notary public or justice of the peace; 
B.  The names of the parties whose marriage the person proposes to solemnize and 
the expected date of the marriage ceremony; and 
C.   A $100 registration fee. 
Upon finding the person has satisfied the requirements of this subsection, the State 
Registrar of Vital Statistics shall issue to the person a temporary registration certificate 
authorizing the person to solemnize the marriage of the parties whose names were 
provided to the registrar pursuant to paragraph B.  The temporary registration certificate 
does not authorize the person to solemnize any other marriage and expires upon the 
person's signing the marriage license pursuant to section 656. 
SUMMARY 
This bill permits a nonresident notary public or justice of the peace to apply for and 
receive temporary authority to solemnize a particular marriage in this State.