The NJ senate is considering a bill that would eliminate the 72 hour waiting period that presently exists when applying for a NJ marriage license. While I have no quarrel with eliminating the waiting period, it would be nice if the NJ legislature acted so as to make the right to marry available to all NJ residents.
SENATE PANEL ADVANCES BILL ELIMINATING 72-HOUR WAIT FOR MARRIAGE LICENSE
A bill that would do away with New Jersey’s 72-hour marriage-license waiting period was voted out of committee Monday, but without a provision that would have made annulments easier. Proponents say eliminating the waiting period would give New Jersey a competitive advantage as a wedding destination for tourists. The legislation, A-1335/S-2106, approved by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee in a 7-6 vote, makes licenses obtainable at the time the application is made. It also provides that marriage and civil union licenses could be issued in the municipality where the ceremony is to take place. At present, the license must be obtained in a municipality in which at least one partner lives, and licenses are available in the municipality where the ceremony is occurring only if both partners reside out of state.
