654                             LAWS OF MARYLAND                      [CH. 406

CHAPTER 406
(House Bill 365)

AN ACT to add new Section 3A to Article 62 of the Annotated Code
of Maryland (1957 Edition), title "Marriages," to follow immedi-
ately after Section 3 thereof, and to repeal and re-enact, with
amendments, Section 4 of the said Article of the Code, to provide
that clerks of courts, deputy clerks, and other designated clerks
may conduct marriage ceremonies in the State, relating to the
fees for and conduct of such ceremonies, prohibiting other fees
or remuneration and providing for the effect of violations.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That new Section 3A be and it is hereby added to Article 62 of the
Annotated Code of Maryland (1957 Edition), title "Marriages," to
follow immediately after Section 3 thereof, and Section 4 of the said
Article of the Code be and it is hereby repealed and re-enacted, with
amendments, and all to read as follows:

3A.

(a)  The following persons are authorized to solemnize marriages
in this State: any minister of the Gospel or official of a religious
order or body authorized by the rules and customs of said order or
body to join persons in marriage; and any Clerk of the Circuit Court
for any county or such deputy clerks as the Chief Judge of the
Judicial Circuit RESIDENT JUDGE OF THE CIRCUIT COURT
FOR THE COUNTY, OR THE SENIOR JUDGE OF THE CIRCUIT
COURT RESIDENT IN THE COUNTY, AS THE CASE MAY BE,
may designate, and any of the Clerks of the Supreme Bench of Balti-
more City or such deputy or other clerks of the Supreme Bench as
the Chief Judge of the Supreme Bench may designate.

(b)   The Chief Judges of the Judicial Circuits RESIDENT
JUDGE, OR SENIOR JUDGE, AS PROVIDED ABOVE and the
Chief Judge of the Supreme Bench of Baltimore City shall designate
the times during which and the places where the clerks of the Judicial
Circuits or of the Supreme Bench, or such deputies or other clerks as
may be designated, may perform marriage ceremonies. THE RESI-
DENT JUDGE OR SENIOR JUDGE, AND THE CHIEF JUDGE
OF THE SUPREME BENCH SHALL ALSO DESIGNATE THE
FORM OF MARRIAGE CEREMONY WHICH SHALL BE RE-
CITED BY THE CLERKS AND THE PARTIES TO THE MAR-
RIAGE.

(c)  The clerks, deputies or other clerks shall receive for perform-
ing a marriage ceremony a fee equivalent to the sum charged for the
issuance of a marriage license. All fees shall be deposited and dis-

bursed in the same manner as other fees collected by the office or

clerks of courts OF TEN DOLLARS ($10.00), OF WHICH TWO
DOLLARS ($2.00) SHALL BE RETAINED BY THE CLERKS
AND DEPOSITED AND DISBURSED IN THE SAME MANNER
AS OTHER FEES COLLECTED BY THE CLERKS, AND THE
REMAINING EIGHT DOLLARS ($8.00) OF THE FEE SHALL BE
PAID BY THE CLERKS MONTHLY INTO THE GENERAL
FUNDS OF THE COUNTY OR CITY OF BALTIMORE. No clerk,