S.B. 937 & 938: COMMITTEE SUMMARY PROHIBIT SAME-SEX MARRIAGES
Senate Bills 937 and 938 (as introduced 3-19-96) Sponsor: Senator William Van Regenmorter Committee: Local, Urban and State Affairs
Date Completed: 5-15-96
Senate Bill 937 would amend Chapter 83 of the Revised Statutes of 1846 (entitled “Of marriage and the solemnization thereof) to specify that marriage “is a civil contract between a man and a woman” and to prohibit a man from marrying another man, and prohibit a woman from marrying another woman.
Currently, Chapter 83 specifies that marriage, so far as its validity in law is concerned, is a civil contract, to which the consent of parties capable in law of contracting, is essential.
Senate Bill 938 would amend Public Act 168 of 1939, which provides for the validation of marriages contracted by residents of the State and solemnized in another state by authorized persons, to limit its provisions to marriages contracted between a man and a woman, and to specify that the provisions validating out-of-State marriages would not apply to a marriage contracted between individuals of the same sex, which marriage would be invalid in this State.
Senate Bill 938 is tie-barred to Senate Bill 937.
MCL 551.2-551.4 (S.B. 937) Legislative Analyst: L. Arasim MCL 551.271 (S.B. 938)
The bills would have an indeterminate fiscal impact. The amounts would depend on the number of additional individuals who would be eligible for spousal benefits if the bills were not enacted. These include insurance, retirement benefits, and other legal rights.
Fiscal Analyst: M.Bain
S9596\S937SA
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.
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