Minn. Legislation Seeks to Allow Atheists to Officiate Weddings
Two lawmakers in Minnesota have recently introduced bills that would amend the state statute on civil marriages to allow nonbelievers to legally preside over weddings in the state.
A House version of the bill, known as House File 2966 and titled "Marriage solemnization by atheist and humanist celebrants authorized," was introduced by State Rep. Phyllis Kahn (DFL-Nicolett Island) in March and is currently before the House Civil Law Committee. The bill requests that the wording of current state law be changed to allow atheists and humanists to officiate civil marriages in the state. A Senate version of the bill, SF 2958, was introduced by Minnesota State Sen. John Marty (DFL-Roseville) last week.
Minnesota's current law states that "ministers of any religious denomination … are authorized to solemnize a civil marriage" after they file their credentials with the local county clerk. The new bills would add language to the existing law to allow "any other celebrant," specifically naming atheists or humanists, to do the same.
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The bill requires that atheist groups wishing to appoint celebrants "must be registered as a nonprofit with the Minnesota Office of the Secretary of State and must have tax-exempt status as an educational organization."
"Civil marriages may be solemnized by atheist or humanist celebrants who have been appointed by the boards of directors of self-identified atheist or humanist organizations that sponsor training for such individuals," the bill's text reads.
Humanists of Minnesota has lobbied for the bill, saying that although this year's legislative session is "short and crowded," bills such as these start the conversation regarding atheists in the local community. "Unfortunately, this year's legislative session is short and crowded, so these bills may not get committee hearings, meaning they will not have a chance to pass and get signed into law."
"If that's the case, we hope to reintroduce them in the next legislative session. In the meantime, these bills will serve to get the conversation started."
In 2013, Washington, D.C. passed a similar bill called the Marriage Officiant Amendment Act of 2013 that allowed secularists to obtain a temporary license to officiate a wedding ceremony. New Jersey also passed a comparable law that allows any civil servant trained "from an established non-denominational or educational non-profit organization" to officiate marriages in the state.
