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 […]
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MA Call to Action – End Child Marriage
Updated 11/7/2021 If passed, S937 (Senator Harriette Chandler) and H1709 (Representative Kay Khan), would End Child Marriage in Massachusetts. Please call your Representative and ask them to cosponsor and support the legislation to #EndChildMarriage. You may use the script below for some guidance. Please look up your Legislators at https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator Testifying to Committee Members Instructions to submit written or oral testimony to the Massachusetts Legislature when a hearing is scheduled Contacting Your Legislator Conducting a Successful Call Introduce yourself and what town you live in. The office will want to know your zip code to make sure you’re a constituent! If the Representative […]
About Massachusetts JPs
Looking for a Massachusetts wedding officiant? Visit findaJP.com to learn more about Massachusetts wedding laws and to search for a Justice of the Peace. Are you a Massachusetts JP? See the state’s summary of duties for commissioned JPs Learn more about the benefits of a JPus membership. Becoming a JP In Massachusetts, a justice of the peace is appointed by the Governor for a seven year term and confirmed by the Governors Council. Each city/town is allowed one justice for every 5000 residents. In addition to affirming marriages, JPs may take affirmations, oaths, and depositions. Sometimes they may call meetings. Applications […]
Massachusetts JPs
Looking for a Massachusetts wedding officiant? Visit findaJP.com to learn more about Massachusetts wedding laws and to search for a Justice of the Peace. Becoming a JP In Massachusetts, a justice of the peace is appointed by the Governor for a seven year term and confirmed by the Governors Council. Each city/town is allowed one justice for every 5000 residents. In addition to affirming marriages, JPs may take affirmations, oaths, and depositions. Sometimes they may call meetings. Here is a summary of duties. Applications may be obtained from the Governor’s Council. Non-residents, including JPs from other states, can marry people in […]
4 Reasons to Consider a Wedding for Just the Two of You
Weddings represent a rite of passage in most of our lives. They represent a turning point and a new dream of the future. Why then – on such an important occasion – would you choose a ceremony just for the two of you (and the wedding officiant)? Here are the top four reasons why an intimate “just the two of you” wedding may be right for you. 1. A “just the two of you” wedding is affordable. Fancy weddings can cost tens of thousands of dollars and in today’s uncertain economy saving for future major expenses may make more sense than […]
NH Special Marriage Officiants 2020 – House Ways and Means
HB1599 is Fiscally Unsound The Justice of the Peace Association submitted this written statement to the New Hampshire House Ways and Means Committee opposing HB 1599, An Act Establishing a Special Marriage Officiant License. This committee may only consider matters that affect the state budget. Consequently, our position is fiscally focused. Additional information about the bill and JPus’ activity is below in Related Links. Related Links Learn about the problems with amateur marriage officiants here JPus submitted alternative language to HB 1599 to address the problems with the bill Read the text of HB 1599 here. JPus’ blow-by-blow behind-the-scenes activity to stop […]
Union Leader: 7/17/2020
The following op-ed was published in the New Hampshire Union Leader on July 17, 2020. It calls for Governor Sununu to issue an executive order to undo the temporary marriage officiant authorization. Loretta Jay: Amendment undermines marriages… literally ON THE second to last day of the session, the New Hampshire Senate tacked an unrelated amendment onto a guaranteed-to-pass bill. This move, done without notifying constituents, gives anyone temporary authorization to officiate a marriage. This will increase the risk of coronavirus spread. The House passed the bill the next day. New Hampshire needs Governor Sununu to step in and halt this […]
Conference 2021 – Attendee Help
Our first virtual conference is powered by Accelevents and can be attended via computer, tablet or mobile device. Answers to general questions about the conference can be found below. A detailed guide for attendees by AccelEvents can be found here. AccelEvents has also provided an introduction to virtual events. FAQs How do I purchase a ticket to the conference? Get your tickets here. To take advantage of early-bird pricing purchase your ticket Feb. 15th, 2021. How much do tickets cost? JPus members: $25 until February 15, 2021. Price goes up to $30 for members after that date. Non-members: $40/ticket. New […]
Don’t Let Language be a Barrier
Recently, I officiated the wedding of a bride from New Hampshire and a groom from Paris. He spoke English with a charming French accent. But his family, flying over for the festivities, did not. The couple requested a bilingual ceremony, but I do not speak a word of French. What was I going to do?These days, this isn’t an unusual dilemma. As our world grows smaller and more interconnected, cross-cultural weddings have become much more commonplace. These types of ceremonies serve not only to join the couple in marriage, but also to merge two cultures and languages. You can get […]
Central Vermont
The five counties that make up central Vermont consist of the Green Mountains, rolling countrysides and peaceful lowlands along the Hudson River. Nestled in this area are charming quintessential New England towns. Lovely venues for local celebrations, as well as destination weddings so all your friends and family can partake. Unsure what is the right venue for you? Let your JP know what you are looking for, and he or she will likely have suggestions. Find a Wedding Officiant in Central Vermont Barre VT Cabot VT Chelsea VT Ferrisburg VT Killington VT Middlebury VT Montpelier VT Norwich VT Pittsfield VT Randolph […]
Workshop – Child Marriage in Vermont
Child Marriage is a Real Problem. Child marriage is still legal in the state of Vermont. Beyond the harmful effects, it puts officiants in an ethical quandary. This informative workshop will highlight the social, emotional, and ethical problems connected with child marriage, the need for “brightline” (no exceptions) laws, and what Vermont marriage officiants, clerks and citizens can do to advocate for change. Learning Objectives Participants will be able to: Describe the social, emotional and ethical issues connected to child marriage Explain the need for brightline legislation Discuss how to apply content knowledge to advocacy efforts Registration This is an […]
Ideas for a Ceremony of Gravitas
Keep in mind that your wedding ceremony introduces the world to your love and your love to the world. In your new roles as “Mr and Mrs” or “Mrs and Mrs” or “Mr and Mr” you become a family that might increase and divide and increase again. So why not let the ceremony treat the love that brought you to this point as more than mere romance? When romantic love has grown up and been tested, it becomes bigger, believe it or not. It becomes where you are going – your path and your destination. It’s a road with all […]
Survey – Officiant Qualifications & Appointments
Each state has a different process to appoint marriage officiants. We frequently hear about problems in Connecticut. There, justice of the peace appointments are political – even though there is nothing political about the role. The resulting problems are multifold, as evidenced by the many complaints reported to JPus from our members. In response, JPus is working with legislators and the Secretary of the State’s office and interviewing stakeholders. The plan is to formulate the research into a white paper to enact legislative change. A related matter is qualifications – especially when comparing professionals with amateurs officiants. At JPus, we […]