KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to District of Columbia

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 source material does not provide specific details on the creation of new forms or the authorization of marriage officiants beyond what is explicitly stated.

Let Our Vows Endure Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

This act allows the Mayor to issue marriage licenses and authorize temporary marriage officiants during a federal government shutdown when the Clerk of the Superior Court is not issuing licenses.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the law so that the Mayor can issue marriage licenses instead of the Clerk of the Superior Court during a federal government shutdown.
  • Requires the Mayor to maintain records of all marriage licenses issued, including copies of each license and returned certificates.
  • Specifies that the Mayor must transmit copies of marriage licenses or returned certificates to the Clerk within 5 business days.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Mayor of Washington D.C.
  • People getting married in Washington D.C. during a federal government shutdown

Terms To Know

Emergency Basis
A situation where the normal process is bypassed to address urgent needs.
Superior Court Clerk
An official who typically issues marriage licenses in Washington D.C., but cannot during a federal government shutdown.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This act expires on January 7, 2026.
  • The Mayor's authority to issue marriage licenses and authorize officiants is limited to the period of time when the Clerk of the Superior Court is not issuing licenses due to a federal government shutdown.

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

SSGurmuntncavelXve | osne 5 ionsGene umm [xoa x aoe ie raerae : vate xran : reneeX.-IndicateVote AB - Absent NV -Present,Not Voting Rec -Recused
cenmmiosnonnonoSete (29 osDate