2020 Legislative Wrap-up
All of the legislation that JPus has been following has wrapped up for the 2020 spring session. A summary of each follows.
Amateur Officiants
Massachusetts
The Resolve for a commission study to evaluate the one-day solemnizer rule passed out of committee favorably at the end of February. But, then it got stuck and died in March. In order to plan for next year, we’ve spoken with Senator Cyr’s office and requested that the bill be resubmitted in January. More about our work to address one-day solemnizer problems.
New Hampshire
After the special marriage officiant bill died in the House, it was revived as an amendment in the Senate. Under guise of the pandemic, no head’s up was given to constituents. The language allowing lay officiants was attached to a sure-to-pass bill that protected children from sexual assault. Even worse, the senators were coy when introducing the floor amendment, neglecting to share the existing controversy about it. It passed and is on its way to the Governor. He won’t veto the bill, but we’re in discussions to have an executive order to stop implementation of the temporary officiant parts. We also submitted an op-ed reiterating our ask to Governor Sununu. The details are in the nitty-gritty backstory.
Child Marriage
Massachusetts
All non-covid legislation is on hold in the state, and that includes S2294, An Act to End Child Marriage. JPus has been involved, as a member of the Massachusetts Coalition to End Child Marriage, and submitting testimony in support of the legislation. Read about our activity.
New Hampshire
The bill to end child marriage in New Hampshire passed the House of Representatives, but then got tabled in June before being heard in the Senate. It will be resubmitted for the 2021 session. Read about JPus’ support of this bill.
Pennsylvania
With a unanimous vote, Pennsylvania ended child marriage in the state. Governor Wolf signed it into law on May 8th, 2020! Four states down, 46 to go. JPus submitted testimony in support of the legislation.
Revised Code of Ethics
We are pleased to announce that the Justice of the Peace Association’s Code of Ethics has been revised and updated to better reflect our organization’s values. The Code of Ethics sets the standards of conduct and makes clear what the expectations are for professional marriage officiants who choose to belong to our association.
The language we’ve always used required members to act in clients’ best interest and in ways that reflect favorably on themself and others. Even so, we saw a need to be more explicit. This update is just one aspect of our efforts to be a part of the solution to eradicate racism and discrimination.
At the onset, we strove to be transparent and involve membership in the process. Therefore, on June 8th we invited members to review and comment on a draft version of the revised Code of Ethics. This was done by posting an announcement on the JPus website, by email, and through our social media accounts. Every comment and suggestion was thoughtfully considered. During our process we differentiated between a code of conduct and best practices. Guidance on best practices is offered through professional development and training material. Thank you to everyone who took the time to provide feedback. We appreciate both the voices of confidence, and the tips for improvement.
Related Links
★ The updated Code of Ethics
★ The prior Code of Ethics
★ The rules governing enforcement of violations to the Code of Ethics are explained in our Terms of Use Policy
★ Issues that JPus is an active voice for are on our Advocacy page
Introducing JPus.Training
Where Marriage Officiants Go to Learn
The Justice of the Peace Association is pleased to announce JPus.Training, its new online learning center. Here we will host educational courses for JPs, notaries and other professional marriage officiants.
Visitors to JPus.Training can log into the site and sign up for courses of interest. The first training that we’re offering is COVID-19 Best Practices for Marriage Officiants. We developed the training in consultation with OSHA for two purposes:
★ to provide officiants the information needed to safely navigate marriage ceremonies during the pandemic
★ to provide assurance to couples that the professional officiants they hire have been trained for community protection
All officiants who complete the training will receive a certification; JPus members will be able to cite this on their findaJP.com profile.
This launch is JPus.Training’s initial release. Meaning, we are seeking users’ feedback to help us evaluate what is working, and where we can improve to make the site stronger. Training participants will be able to register for courses and track their progress through a training account page. To visit the site and/or register for COVID-19 Best Practices for Marriage Officiants click here.
Mobilize NH: HB1599
Your voice is needed!
New Hampshire’s Special Marriage Officiant bill, HB1599, is expected to come before the House of Representatives for a vote tomorrow. And then it will go to the Senate. That’s where we come in. We’ll need all NH JPs to get involved if we want to defeat this legislation.
We have a Zoom call scheduled for Monday to answer your questions, and talking points to help you focus your message. Read more about our strategy and get the details.
Statement on Racial Injustice from JPus’ Managing Member
Along with the rest of the country and world, I have watched the recent harrowing events unfold, and felt anguish and anger. George Floyd’s horrific murder, and the callousness of the police officers on scene who failed to intervene to save his life, illustrate the most heinous parts of our society.
I believe with all my heart that, in the words of the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr, “No one is free until we are all free.” Like many of you, I routinely put these values to practice in my daily life. But that is not enough. To make change, each one of us must speak out and be heard — in all aspects of our lives.
In light of this, where does the Justice of the Peace Association fit in? JPus and findaJP were built upon a foundation of love. All love. Quoting MLK again, “We must meet the forces of hate with the power of love…” We stand against racism and discrimination and will work for the change we want to see. We are an inclusive organization that believes in equality of all people. And our activities must reflect these values.
How can our marriage-focused organization be a part of the solution to end racism and discrimination? Our team is finding our voice and determining what steps we should take to do better.
First Steps:
- We strengthened our policies to better reflect our beliefs.
- We are revising the Code of Ethics that all members agree to when they join the Justice of the Peace Association. They are currently in DRAFT form, and we invite members to comment before we finalize them.
- Please view the DRAFT of the revised Code of Ethics and send me an email with your feedback.
Next Steps:
- Formally updating the Code of Ethics
- Implicit bias training for officiants
We also renew our commitment to ensure that our space is welcoming and safe for people of color. We encourage all members of our community to join us in solidarity with our friends and neighbors and to speak out and demand policies and laws that address systematic racism. Some steps we can all take include:
- Join peaceful protests to let your voice be heard.
- Contact your legislators.
- Have conversations. Even if they are uncomfortable.
- Support organizations that address racial inequality. A couple that we like:
NAACP Legal Defense Fund and Color of Change
I always welcome your calls and emails, but especially during this time. Together we will be better by working for the change we want to see.
In health and safety,
Loretta
Loretta Jay
Managing Member
203.255.7703
[email protected]
Related Links
- Member support article Exploring Our Own Implicit Bias
- The Justice of the Peace Association’s Code of Ethics