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B26-0393 • 2025

Let Our Vows Endure Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

Let Our Vows Endure Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

Enacted

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

Sponsor
Henderson
Last action
2026-01-23
Official status
Official Law
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official text specifies the trigger is a 'total or partial' federal government shutdown, which was clarified in the limits section compared to general summaries.

Let Our Vows Endure Temporary 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

  • Changes existing laws to let the Mayor or the Clerk issue marriage licenses instead of just the Clerk during specific times.
  • Requires the Mayor to create special forms for marriage licenses that replace references to the Court with references to the executive branch.
  • Directs the Mayor to keep records of all issued licenses and returned certificates in official books.
  • Mandates that the Mayor send copies of these documents to the Clerk within five business days after they are created or returned.
  • Limits this new authority for the Mayor to times when a federal government shutdown stops the Clerk from issuing licenses.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Mayor of the District of Columbia
  • The Clerk of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia
  • People who want to get married in Washington, D.C.
  • Ministers and other people authorized to perform marriage ceremonies

Terms To Know

Federal government shutdown
A period when the federal government stops working because it does not have funding.
Officiant
A person, such as a minister or magistrate, who is authorized to perform a marriage ceremony.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This law only works when the Clerk cannot issue licenses due to a total or partial federal government shutdown.
  • The authority given by this act expires after it has been in effect for 225 days.
  • The text does not explain how long a specific government shutdown might last.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-23 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Law L26-0076, Effective from Dec 31, 2025 Published in DC Register Vol 73 and Page 000609, Expires on Aug 13, 2026

  2. 2025-11-21 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Act A26-0194 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 012877

  3. 2025-11-17 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Congress

  4. 2025-11-10 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Signed by the Mayor and Enacted with Act Number A26-0194

  5. 2025-11-10 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Returned from Mayor

  6. 2025-10-28 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on Nov 12, 2025

  7. 2025-10-21 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  8. 2025-10-10 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Notice of Intent to Act on B26-0393 Published in the District of Columbia Register

  9. 2025-10-07 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Retained by the Council

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

    Legislative Meeting

  11. 2025-10-06 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0393 Introduced by Councilmember Henderson at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Let Our Vows Endure Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
ENROLLED ORIGINAL

IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
NOVEMBER 10,2025
Toamend,onatemporarybasis,AnActToestablishacodeoflawfortheDistrictofColumbiatoauthorizetheMayortoissuemarriagelicensesandauthorizetemporarymarriageofficiantsduringaperiodoftimewhentheClerkoftheSuperiorCourtoftheDistrictofColumbiaisnotissuingmarriagelicensesbecauseofafederalgovernmentshutdown.
BEIT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, Thatthis
actmay be citedasthe“LetOur Vows Endure Temporary Amendment Act of2025”.
Sec.2.ChapterForty-ThreeofAnActToestablishacodeoflawfortheDistrictofColumbia,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”initsplace.
(b)Section1291(D.C.OfficialCode§46-410)isamendedasfollows:
(1)Thesectionheadingisamendedtoreadasfollows:“See.1291.DutyoftheMayororClerk.”.
(2)Thetextisamendedbystrikingthephrase“theClerk”bothtimesitappearsandinsertingthephrase“theMayorortheClerk”initsplace.
(©)Section1292(D.C,OfficialCode§46-411)isamendedbystrikingtheword“Clerk”andinsertingthephrase“MayororClerk”initsplace.
(d)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:
“(b)(1)TheMayorshallcreateaformforalicensetoperformamarriageceremonythatisconsistentwiththeformsetforthinsubsection(a)ofthissectionexceptthatsuchaformshall
1
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
be modifiedby replacingthereferencestothe“Clerk’sOfficeof theSuperiorCourt ofthe
Districtof Columbia”,“Court”,“Clerk”,“AssistantClerk”,and “Clerkof the SuperiorCourtof
theDistrictof Columbia” with appropriatereferencestotheMayor ortoan officeorofficer
withintheexecutivebranchof the governmentof theDistrictof Columbia;provided,thatthe
formmay requirethatthelicensebe returnedtooneoreitherof:
“(A) The Clerk’sOfficeof theSuperiorCourtof theDistrictof Columbia;
or
“(B)TheMayorortoanofficeorofficerwithintheexecutivebranchof
thegovernment of theDistrictof Columbia.
“(2)TheMayorshallissuetheformforalicensedescribedinparagraph(1)of
thissubsectiontopersonsauthorizedbysection1288toperformamarriageceremonywhen
authorizedtoissuea licensepursuanttotheLet Our Vows Endure Temporary Amendment Act
of 2025,passedon 2nd readingon October 21,2025 (Enrolledversionof Bill 26-393).”.
(e)Section1295 (D.C.OfficialCode § 46-414)isamendedas follows:
(1)Theexistingtextisdesignatedassubsection(a).
(2)Newsubsections(b)and(c)areaddedtoreadasfollows:
#(b)(1)TheMayorshallmaintain:
“(A)A trueandaccuratecopyofeachmarriagelicenseissuedbythe
Mayoraffixedwithaseal;
“(B)EachmarriagelicensecertificatereturnedtotheMayorbyaminister,
magistrate,orotherpersonauthorizedbysection1288toperformorwitnessamarriage
ceremony;
“(C) A recordbook filledwiththenames and residencesofthe partiesfor
whosemarriageanylicensehasbeenissuedbytheMayor;and
“(D) A recordbook filledwiththenamesof each minister,magistrate,or
otherpersonauthorizedbysection1288toperformorwitnessamarriageceremony(“officiant”)
who has returneda marriagelicensecertificatetotheMayor and thelicensenumber of each
marriagelicensecertificatereturnedbytheofficiant.
“(2)A copyof eachlicenseandmarriagelicensecertificatesokeptandrecorded,
certifiedbytheMayor,shallbecompetentevidenceofthemarriage.
“(3)TheMayorshallnumbereachmarriagelicenseconsecutively,fromone
upward,andwithanalphabeticalprefixtosuchnumbertodistinguisheachlicenseissuedbythe
Mayor from licensesissuedby theClerkof theSuperiorCourt of theDistrictof Columbia.
“(c)(1)Within5businessdaysafteramarriagelicenseisissuedbytheMayorora
marriagelicensecertificateisreturnedtotheMayorbyaminister,magistrate,orotherperson
authorizedbysection1288toperformorwitnessamarriageceremony,theMayorshalltransmit
to theClerkof theSuperiorCourtof theDistrictof Columbia a trueand accuratecopy of the
marriagelicenseormarriagelicensecertificate.
“(2)A copyofeachlicenseandmarriagelicensecertificatesotransmitted,as
maintainedandcertifiedbytheClerk,shallbecompetentevidenceofthemarriage.”.
2
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
(O)A newsection1297aisaddedtoreadasfollows
“Sec.1297a.ApplicabilityofauthorityofMayortoissuemarriagelicenses.
“TheauthorityoftheMayorunderthischaptertoissuemarriagelicensesandauthorizeofficiantsshallapplyonlyduringaperiodoftimewhentheClerkoftheSuperiorCourtofthe
DistrictofColumbiaisnotissuingmarriagelicensesbecauseofatotalorpartialfederalgovernmentshutdown.”.
Sec.3.Fiscalimpactstatement.
TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementoftheBudgetDirectorasthefiscalimpact
statementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,approvedOctober16,2006(120Stat,2038;D.C.OfficialCode§1-301.47a).
Sec.4.Effectivedate.
(@)ThisactshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobytheMayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto)anda30-dayperiodofcongressional
reviewasprovidedinsection602(c)(1)oftheDistrictofColumbiaHomeRuleAct,approvedDecember24,1973(87Stat.813;D.C.OfficialCode§1-206.02(c)(1)).
(b)Thisactshallexpireafter225daysofitshavingtakeneffect.
l- yatle —
CounciloftheDistrictof Columbia
MayorDistrictofColumbiaAPPROVED
NOVEMBER 10, 2025
COUNCILOF THE DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON,DG,20004

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[DXTACTION FirstReading
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