Bill Text: NH SB201 | 2014 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Relative to marriage registration forms.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 13-2)
Status: (Passed) 2014-05-28 - Signed by the Governor on 05/27/2014; Chapter 0069; Effective 01/01/2015 [SB201 Detail]
Download: New_Hampshire-2014-SB201-Amended.html
SB 201 – AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE
02/19/14 0557s
2014 SESSION
05/03
SENATE BILL 201
AN ACT relative to marriage registration forms.
SPONSORS: Sen. Larsen, Dist 15; Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21; Sen. Gilmour, Dist 12; Sen. Lasky, Dist 13; Sen. D'Allesandro, Dist 20; Sen. Soucy, Dist 18; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Pierce, Dist 5; Sen. Hosmer, Dist 7; Sen. Woodburn, Dist 1; Sen. Stiles, Dist 24; Sen. Carson, Dist 14; Rep. Weber, Ches 1; Rep. Bouchard, Merr 18; Rep. Kaen, Straf 5
This bill provides that, upon marriage, either person may retain his or her surname prior to marriage, take the surname of the other party, or hyphenate the surnames of both parties. A person who takes the other party’s surname also may change his or her middle name to his or her surname prior to marriage.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
02/19/14 0557s
14-2593
05/03
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Fourteen
AN ACT relative to marriage registration forms.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Paragraph; Marriage Registration Forms; Name Change. Amend RSA 5-C:41 by inserting after paragraph II the following new paragraph:
(a) Upon entering into marriage, either party may retain his or her surname prior to the marriage or change his or her surname to the surname of the other party or change the surname to a hyphenated combination of the full surnames of both parties. If a party requests a surname change under this paragraph, that party may also change his or her middle name to his or her surname prior to the marriage. Each party shall indicate on the marriage application worksheet the party’s name after marriage.
(b) Provided that the change is not made for a fraudulent criminal or wrongful purpose, the name of each party after marriage as indicated on the marriage application worksheet and marriage license shall become the sole legal name of each party after marriage. If a party indicates a name change other than as described in subparagraph (a), the party shall request approval of the court.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2015.
