Public officials in Tennessee can now refuse to grant a marriage license to anyone at their own discretion, for any reason.

Public officials in Tennessee can now refuse to grant a marriage license to anyone at their own discretion, for any reason.

Republican Gov. Bill Lee signed into law House Bill 878 on Wednesday, which took effect immediately. The bill — just a few sentences in length — only states that “a person shall not be required to solemnize a marriage.” Only state notary publics, government officials, and religious figures can “solemnize” a marriage in Tennessee, according to state code.

None of the sponsors behind the bill have been made public statements on its introduction or passage, nor have they given comment to media organizations. The only known remarks regarding the law from state Rep. Monty Fritts (take a guess), who sponsored it in the House, are from February of last year, when he spoke to the state Subcommittee on Children and Family Affairs.

  • Schadrach@lemmy.sdf.org
    4·
    9 months ago

    That might count, though FSM is often in a grey area because it’s usually primarily a satire of religion rather than claiming to actually be one. The list of who can solemnize marriage in Tennessee is here:

    https://www.nashville.gov/departments/county-clerk/marriage-license/who-can-solemnize

    Clergy mostly fall under:

    All regular ministers, preachers, pastors, priests, rabbis and other religious leaders of every religious belief, more than eighteen (18) years of age, having the care of souls

    Military and law enforcement chaplains have their own items in the list, further down. Apparently they don’t count as “regular” clergy?