Georgia House of Representatives - 1995/1996 Sessions

HB 1278 - Common-law marriage; prohibit; exception

Page Numbers - 1

Code Sections - 19-3-1.1

1. Mobley  69th           2. Randall  127th          3. Martin  47th
4. Falls  125th


House Comm: SJudy      /                Senate Comm: S Judy     /                                   
House Vote: Yeas 164   Nays 6           Senate Vote: Yeas 50  Nays 3                                
              ----------------------------------------                                              
               House          Action         Senate                                                 
              ----------------------------------------                                              
              1/12/96  Read 1st Time         2/14/96                                                
              1/22/96  Read 2nd Time         2/26/96                                                
              1/30/96  Favorably Reported    2/21/96                                                
                       Committee Amend/Sub   Sub                                                    
              2/13/96  Read 3rd Time         3/14/96                                                
              2/13/96  Passed/Adopted        3/14/96                                                
              FA       Comm/Floor Amend/Sub  CSFA                                                   
              3/15/96  Amend/Sub Agreed To                                                          
              4/1/96   Sent to Governor                                                             
              4/15/96  Signed by Governor                                                           
              1021     Act/Veto Number                                                              
              7/1/96   Effective Date                                                               
              ----------------------------------------                                              
Postponed by the House 2/9/ Until 2/13/96                                                           
                                                                                                    
Code Sections amended: 19-3-1.1                                                                     


HB 1278                                            HB 1278/AP

      H. B. No. 1278 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE)
      By:  Representatives Mobley of the 69th, Randall of the
      127th, Martin of the 47th and Falls of the 125th


                        A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
                               AN ACT


  1- 1  To amend Article 1 of Chapter 3 of Title 19 of the Official
  1- 2  Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions
  1- 3  relating to marriage, so as to provide that no common-law
  1- 4  marriage shall be entered into in this state on or after
  1- 5  January 1, 1997; to provide that otherwise valid common-law
  1- 6  marriages entered into prior to January 1, 1997, shall not
  1- 7  be affected and shall continue to be recognized in this
  1- 8  state; to provide for a state-wide education program
  1- 9  regarding this Act and the elements of a valid common-law
  1-10  marriage; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other
  1-11  purposes.

  1-12       BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

                         SECTION 1.

  1-13  Article 1 of Chapter 3 of Title 19 of the Official Code of
  1-14  Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions relating
  1-15  to marriage, is amended by adding, after Code Section 19-3-1
  1-16  the following:

  1-17    "19-3-1.1. (Index)

  1-18    No common-law marriage shall be entered into in this state
  1-19    on or after January 1, 1997.  Otherwise valid common-law
  1-20    marriages entered into prior to January 1, 1997, shall not
  1-21    be affected by this Code section and shall continue to be
  1-22    recognized in this state."

                         SECTION 2.

  1-23  The Department of Human Resources is authorized and directed
  1-24  to implement a state-wide education program through the
  1-25  broadcast and print media to inform state residents
  1-26  regarding the Code section enacted by this Act and the
  1-27  elements of a valid common-law marriage.

                         SECTION 3.

  1-28  All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are
  1-29  repealed.


                             H. B. No. 1278
                                 -1- (Index)