Official text of the Legislature's repeal of "1913 Law" -- and the actual statutes that were repealed

Here's the text of what was passed on July 30, 2008 and signed by the Governor the following day. (The legislative session ended July 31, 2008.)

Chapter 216 of the Acts of 2008

AN ACT RELATIVE TO CERTAIN MARRIAGE LAWS.

Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is forthwith to repeal certain laws prohibiting certain non-residents from marrying in the commonwealth, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public convenience.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same as follows:

SECTION 1.  Sections 11, 12 and 13 of chapter 207 of the General Laws are hereby repealed.

SECTION 2.  Section 50 of said chapter 207 is hereby repealed.

Approved July 31, 2008

This repealed the following four statutes of the Massachusetts General Laws:

Chapter 207: Section 11.  No marriage shall be contracted in this commonwealth by a party residing and intending to continue to reside in another jurisdiction if such marriage would be void if contracted in such other jurisdiction, and every marriage contracted in this commonwealth in violation hereof shall be null and void.

Chapter 207: Section 12.  Before issuing a license to marry a person who resides and intends to continue to reside in another state, the officer having authority to issue the license shall satisfy himself, by requiring affidavits or otherwise, that such person is not prohibited from intermarrying by the laws of the jurisdiction where he or she resides.

Chapter 207: Section 13.  The three preceding sections shall be so interpreted and construed as to effectuate their general purpose to make uniform the law of those states which enact like legislation.

Chapter 207: Section 50.  Any official issuing a certificate of notice of intention of marriage knowing that the parties are prohibited by section eleven from intermarrying, and any person authorized to solemnize marriage who shall solemnize a marriage knowing that the parties are so prohibited, shall be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred or more than five hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or both.