The Problem In New Hampshire, under ethically questionable circumstances, legislators passed a bill allowing amateur wedding officiants. This happened despite the significant problems with Vermont and Massachusetts’ lay-officiant rules. Beyond belittling professional JPs and creating loopholes that put vulnerable citizens at risk, town clerks in both states complain that temporary officiants have doubled their workload and jeopardized the validity of marriages. Now with the coronavirus, they increase the risk of community spread, too. Legislative Activity 2020 A bill to allow special marriage officiants, HB1599, was introduced for the 2020 legislative session; it died in the House. Under guise of the […]
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Incorporating Your Kids into the Ceremony
There are 4 million stepchildren in this country (US Census Bureau 2010). That represents a lot of blended families! If you are about to join the ranks, get a solid start by involving your kids in your ceremony. After all, the commitment you’ll be making is not only to your new spouse. It is also to the children in the new family you are creating. Your ceremony should reflect that. Words Readings: Our previous blog on Readings suggested using children’s books. They have the most insightful truths. Depending on the ages of your children, select an excerpt of a children’s […]
JPs By State
About JPs by State: Connecticut JPs | Florida Notaries | Maine Notaries | Massachusetts JPs | New Hampshire JPs | Vermont JPs A Brief History of JPs Along with their meager possessions, the early English settlers brought to the new world a well-developed set of ideas about laws and justice. And though they sought freedom from an oppressive monarchy, they kept one of the king’s institutions: the Justice of the Peace. In the American colonies, every state had a Justice of the Peace system at one time or another, although specific duties varied from state to state, and still do. Since they […]
Oppose Temporary Marriage Officiant in NH
Your Voice Counts! HOW TO SUBMIT TESTIMONY The New Hampshire legislature held public hearings about HB295-FN-A, an Act establishing a special marriage officiant license. JPus created this guide for JPs and town clerks, because the legislators needed to hear from stakeholders to get their perspective of this legislation. All the effort paid off, and the bill died without passing. Written Testimony You may submit written testimony by email to your own legislators so they are aware of your position. If you don’t know who your Senator is, click here. Please also send a copy of your testimony to JPus at [email protected] so we can submit it to […]
Southern Vermont Region
Bennington and Windham Counties comprise beautiful Southern Vermont. Rolling hills and sparkling lakes capture our imagination. Whether along the Harriman Reservoir (aka Lake Whitningham) or at one of the 14 mountains in the area, the area is attractive year round for destination weddings. Deerfield Valley along the Hudson River borders the west, and southern New Hampshire to the east. Nestled in this area are charming quintessential New England towns. Southern Vermont’s lovely venues are perfect for small intimate affairs or large galas where all your friends and family can participate. Unsure what is the right venue for you? Let your JP […]
NH Special Marriage Officiant Bill – House 2020
Last year, with the support of NH JPs, JPus successfully blocked the special officiant bill. Since that time we worked behind the scenes to have language in the bill modified. Although we were led to believe that changes would be made, they weren’t. A new bill, HB 1599, was submitted for the 2020 session and the language remains the same as last year. Additional information about the bill and JPus’ activity is below in Related Links. The Justice of the Peace Association will be submitting this written statement to the New Hampshire House. It is in opposition to HB 1599, An […]
Partnerships
We form strategic partnerships with individuals, groups and organizations that share our goal of supporting marriage officiants with the performance of their duties. Doing so allows us to broaden our strength and influence, and be a more effective leader and representative for our members. Public Agencies Secretary of State’s offices & Town Clerks The Secretary of State‘s offices and town clerks are important stakeholders to us, and our natural partners. Their role complements that of officiants in marriage’s legal process. Working together benefits all parties, because it improves communication. Connecting couples with our members is our core service. So, we are […]
CT’s JP for a Day: What Happened
This is a blow-by-blow account of how the Justice of the Peace Association responded to proposed legislation in Connecticut, SB-396, JP for a Day, as reported by managing member, Loretta Jay. SB-396 JP for a Day It was late on Friday, March 2nd, when Barbara Jay received an email from Betsy Moukawsher, Groton, Connecticut’s Town Clerk, warning that a bill was introduced to the current legislative session. SB-396 said very simply that the Secretary of the State could appoint justices of the peace “to perform a single joining of persons in marriage”. The bill, coined JP for a Day, was […]
Sign-on to Tell NH Lawmakers – End Child Marriage!
The New Hampshire Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on SB359, a bill to end child marriage in the state. All New Hampshire residents are invited to sign onto JPus’ letter in support of the bill. Read JPus’ Letter to the Judiciary Committee urging the passage of this bill. Add your name to our list of supporters and sign onto JPus’ letter NH residents can also testify to the Senate Judiciary Committee: In-person on Thursday, February 1, 2024 at 9:15, Room 100 of the State House. If you will be testifying, please let JPus know so we can coordinate […]
Engaging MA Legislators: Oct. 1, 2019
Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight On October 1, 2019, the Massachusetts Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight held a hearing on the Resolve to evaluate the One Day Solemnizer rule. This hearing was in response to JPus’ members concerns, conveyed through JPus’ January 2019 white paper. Senator Julian Cyr sponsored a Resolve to create a commission study on the One-Day Solemnizer rule. JPus and the Town Clerk Association would be members of the Commission. To be successful, JPs and town clerks will need to engage legislators. Call Committee Chairs and let them know you support the […]
Registration Open – JPus Conference 2021
The Justice of the Peace Association is celebrating 20 years with our first virtual conference. This event will bring together keynote speakers, presentations and workshops in an informative and engaging format. We’re striving for a creative environment where civil officiants can re-imagine weddings, learn new skills, and nurture relationships with others through networking opportunities. Tickets Get your conference tickets here and take advantage of our early-bird pricing. This conference is for professional marriage officiants and Town Clerks. Early-bird registration is open until February 15th at 5:00 pm. At that time full-price registration and ticket sales will open until March 12, 2021 at […]
MA: 2019 Legislation
This page is not being updated. The following bills were submitted to the Massachusetts General Court in 2019: S 1831 establishes a commission study to evaluate the One-Day rule (Cyr) SD 941 increases application fees for 1-Dayers (Gobi) SD 943 broadens JP’s advertising to include in “any public media” (Gobi) S1833 increases the fees that JPs may charge to $120 in-town, and $180 for out-of-town ceremonies (DiDomenico). See JPus’ statement of support. Background: One-Day Rule: Senator Cyr’s bill, S 1831, is in response to JPus’ white paper outlining the problems with the One-Day rule. The bill would develop a committee to […]
Gender Neutral Terms
All of the New England states that JPus is active in use gender-neutral terms on marriage licenses. However, this wasn’t always the case. The History We were pleased to learn that in 2019 Maine started using gender-neutral terms when referring to marriage or familial relationships. This prompted JPus to conduct a quick survey of the other states that we serve, asking what terminology was used. Vermont and New Hampshire allow couples to check a box indicating bride/groom/spouse, and only the term checked is on the license. Massachusetts uses gender neutral terms: Party A and Party B. At the time, Connecticut’s […]
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