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B26-0392 • 2025

Let Our Vows Endure Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Let Our Vows Endure Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Henderson
Last action
2025-10-10
Official status
Enacted
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official text states the act expires no later than 90 days after taking effect, but does not specify an exact start date beyond 'following approval by the Mayor'.

Let Our Vows Endure Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

This law allows the Mayor to issue marriage licenses and authorize officiants only when a federal government shutdown stops the Clerk from doing so.

What This Bill Does

  • Amends existing laws to allow the Mayor or the Clerk to issue marriage licenses instead of just the Clerk during specific emergencies.
  • Requires the Mayor to create special forms for marriage licenses that replace references to the Court with references to the executive branch when issuing licenses.
  • Directs the Mayor to keep records of all licenses issued and certificates returned by officiants, including names and residences of couples.
  • Mandates that the Mayor send copies of these documents to the Clerk within five business days after they are created or returned.
  • Limits the use of this authority strictly to times when a total or partial federal government shutdown prevents the Clerk from issuing licenses.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Mayor and offices within the executive branch of the District of Columbia
  • The Clerk of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia
  • Ministers, magistrates, or other persons authorized to perform marriage ceremonies
  • Couples seeking a marriage license during a federal government shutdown

Terms To Know

Federal Government Shutdown
A total or partial stop in U.S. government operations that prevents the Clerk from issuing licenses.
Officiant
A minister, magistrate, or other person authorized to perform or witness a marriage ceremony.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This act remains in effect for no longer than 90 days after it takes effect.
  • The Mayor's authority applies only when the Clerk cannot issue licenses because of a total or partial federal government shutdown.
  • The text does not specify if this law can be extended beyond the 90-day limit.

Bill History

  1. 2025-10-10 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Act A26-0156 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 010908, Expires on Jan 07, 2026

  2. 2025-10-09 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on Oct 24, 2025

  3. 2025-10-09 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Signed by the Mayor and Enacted with Act Number A26-0156, Expires on Jan 07, 2026

  4. 2025-10-09 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Returned from Mayor

  5. 2025-10-07 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Retained by the Council

  6. 2025-10-07 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  7. 2025-10-06 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0392 Introduced by Councilmember Henderson at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Let Our Vows Endure Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
AN ACT
D.C. ACT 26-156

IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
OCTOBER 9, 2025
Toamend,onanemergencybasis,AnActToestablishacodeoflawfortheDistrictofColumbiatoauthorizetheMayortoissuemarriagelicensesandauthorizetemporary
marriageofficiantsduringaperiodoftimewhentheClerkoftheSuperiorCourtoftheDistrictofColumbiaisnotissuingmarriagelicensesbecauseofafederalgovernmentshutdown,
BEITENACTEDBYTHECOUNCILOFTHEDISTRICTOFCOLUMBIA,Thatthisactmaybecitedasthe“LetOurVowsEndureEmergencyAmendmentActof2025”.
Sec,2.ChapterForty-ThreeofAnActToestablishacodeoflawfortheDistrictof
Columbia,approvedMarch3,1901(31Stat.1391;D.C.OfficialCode§46-401passim),isamendedasfollows:
(a)Section1288(a)(4)(D.C.OfficialCode§46-406(a)(4))isamendedbystrikingthephrase“authorizedbytheClerk”andinsertingthephrase“authorizedbytheMayorortheClerk”intsplace.
(b)Section1291(D.C.OfficialCode§46-410)isamendedasfollows:
(1)Thesectionheadingisamendedtoreadasfollows:
“Sec.1291.DutyoftheMayororClerk.”,
(2)Thetextisamendedbystrikingthephrase“theClerk”bothtimesitappearsandinsertingthephrase“theMayorortheClerk”initsplace.(c)Section1292(D.C.OfficialCode§46-411)isamendedbystrikingtheword“Clerk”andinsertingthephrase“MayororClerk”initsplace.
(@)Section1293(D.C.OfficialCode§46-412)isamendedasfollows:
(1)Theexistingtextisdesignatedassubsection(a).
(2)Subsection(a)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“followingform:”whereveritappearsandinsertingthephrase“followingform(exceptwhensuchalicenseisissuedbytheMayor,inwhichcaseaformconsistentwiththeprovisionsofsubsection(b)ofthissectionshallbeused):”initsplace.
(3)A newsubsection(b)isaddedtoreadasfollows:

1

ENROLLED ORIGINAL
“(b)(1)The Mayor shallcreatea form fora licenseto performa marriageceremony that
isconsistentwiththe form setforthinsubsection(a)ofthis section;except,thatsuch a form
shallbe modifiedby replacingthereferencestothe“Clerk'sOfficeof theSuperiorCourt ofthe
Districtof Columbia”,“Court”,“Clerk”,“AssistantClerk”,and “Clerkof theSuperiorCourtof
theDistrictof Columbia” withappropriatereferencestotheMayor orto an officeorofficer
withintheexecutivebranchof thegovernmentof the Districtof Columbia;provided,thatthe
form may requirethatthelicensebe returnedtoone or eitherof:
“(A) The Clerk’sOfficeof theSuperiorCourtof the Districtof Columbia;
or
“(B)TheMayorortoanofficeorofficerwithintheexecutivebranchof
‘thegovernmentoftheDistrictofColumbia.
*(2)TheMayorshallissuetheformforalicensedescribedinparagraph(1)of
thissubsectiontopersonsauthorizedbysection1288toperformamarriageceremonywhen
authorizedtoissuea licensepursuanttotheLetOur Vows EndureEmergencyAmendment Act
of 2025,passedon emergency basison October 7,2025 (Enrolledversionof Bill 26-392).”.
(e)Section1295 (D.C.OfficialCode § 46-414)isamended as follows:
(1)Theexistingtextisdesignatedassubsection(a).
(2)Newsubsections(b)and(c)areaddedtoreadasfollows:
“(b)(1)TheMayorshallmaintain:
“(A)A trueandaccuratecopyofeachmarriagelicenseissuedbythe
Mayoraffixedwithaseal;
“(B)Each marriagelicensecertificatereturnedtotheMayor by a minister,
magistrate,orotherpersonauthorizedbysection1288toperformorwitnessamarriage
ceremony;
“(C) A recordbook filledwiththenames and residencesof the partiesfor
whosemarriageanylicensehasbeenissuedbytheMayor;and
“(D)A recordbook filledwiththenames ofeachminister,magistrate,or
otherpersonauthorizedbysection1288toperformorwitnessamarriageceremony(“officiant”)
who has returneda marriagelicensecertificatetotheMayor and thelicensenumberof each
marriagelicensecertificatereturnedby theofficiant.
“(2)A copyofeachlicenseandmarriagelicensecertificatesokeptandrecorded,
certifiedbytheMayor,shallbecompetentevidenceofthemarriage.
“(3)TheMayorshallnumbereachmarriagelicenseconsecutively,fromone
upward,and withan alphabeticalprefixtosuch number todistinguisheach licenseissuedby the
Mayor from licensesissuedby theClerkof theSuperiorCourt of theDistrictof Columbia.
“(o)(1)Within5businessdaysafteramarriagelicenseisissuedbytheMayorora
marriagelicensecertificateisreturnedtotheMayor by a minister,magistrate,orotherperson
authorizedby section1288 toperformor witnessa marriageceremony,theMayor shalltransmit
totheClerkof theSuperiorCourtof the Districtof Columbia a trueand accuratecopyof the
marriagelicenseormarriagelicensecertificate.
2
ENROLLED ORIGINAL.
“(2)A copyofeachlicenseandmarriagelicensecertificatesotransmitted,asmaintainedandcertifiedbytheClerk,shallbecompetentevidenceof themarriage.”.
(8)A newsection1297aisaddedtoreadasfollows:
“Sec.1297a.ApplicabilityofauthorityofMayortoissuemarriagelicenses.
“TheauthorityoftheMayorunderthisacttoissuemarriagelicensesandauthorizeofficiantsshallapplyonlyduringaperiodoftimewhentheClerkoftheSuperiorCourtoftheDistrictofColumbiaisnotissuingmarriagelicensesbecauseofa totalorpartialfederalgovernmentshutdown.”.
Sec.3.Fiscalimpactstatement.
TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementoftheBudgetDirectorasthefiscalimpactstatementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,approvedOctober16,2006(120Stat.2038;D.C.OfficialCode§1-301.47a).
Sec.4.Effectivedate.
ThisactshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobytheMayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto),andshallremainineffectnolongerthan90days,asprovidedforemergencyactsoftheCounciloftheDistrictofColumbiainsection412(a)
oftheDistrictofColumbiaHomeRuleAct,approvedDecember24,1973(87Stat.788;D.C.OfficialCode§ 1-204.12(a)).
| JpChairman
Councilof theDistrictof Columbia,

October 9,2025

DocketNo.826.0392
[ ITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
[X]ACTION
[DdVOTEDATE
[X]VOICEVOTE
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
ABSENT
[JROLLCALLVOTE—Result
COUNCILOF THEDISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON,DC,20004
FinalReading
October7,2025
‘Approved

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