HOUSE BILL NO. 4775
June 15, 2023, Introduced by Reps. Brixie and Morgan and referred to the Committee on
Government Operations.
A bill to amend 1846 RS 83, entitled
"Of marriage and the solemnization thereof,"
by amending sections 2, 3, and 9 (MCL 551.2, 551.3, and 551.9),
sections 2 and 3 as amended by 1996 PA 324; and to repeal acts and
parts of acts.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
1 Sec. 2. So far as its validity in law is concerned, marriage
2 is a civil contract between a man and a woman, 2 parties, to which
3 the consent of parties capable in law of contracting is essential.
LTB 00367'23 ff
 2
1 Consent alone is not enough to effectuate a legal marriage on and
2 after January 1, 1957. Consent shall must be followed by obtaining
3 a license as required by section 1 of Act No. 128 of the Public
4 Acts of 1887, being section 551.101 of the Michigan Compiled Laws,
5 1887 PA 128, MCL 551.101, or as provided for by section 1 of Act
6 No. 180 of the Public Acts of 1897, being section 551.201 of the
7 Michigan Compiled Laws, 1897 PA 180, MCL 551.201, and solemnization
8 as authorized by sections 7 to 18. of this chapter.
9 Sec. 3. A man shall not marry his mother, sister, grandmother,
10 daughter, granddaughter, stepmother, grandfather's wife, son's
11 wife, grandson's wife, wife's mother, wife's grandmother, wife's
12 daughter, wife's granddaughter, brother's daughter, sister's
13 daughter, father's sister, mother's sister, or cousin of the first
14 degree, or another man.An individual shall not marry the
15 individual's parent, sibling, grandparent, child, grandchild,
16 stepparent, grandparent's spouse, child's spouse, grandchild's
17 spouse, spouse's parent, spouse's grandparent, spouse's child,
18 spouse's grandchild, sibling's child, parent's sibling, or cousin
19 of the first degree.
20 Sec. 9. In the solemnization of marriage, no particular form
21 shall be is required, except that the parties shall must solemnly
22 declare, in the presence of the person solemnizing the marriage and
23 the attending witnesses, that they take each other as husband and
24 wife; spouses; and in every case, there shall must be at least 2
25 witnesses, besides the person solemnizing the marriage, present at
26 the ceremony.
27 Enacting section 1. Sections 1 and 4 of 1846 RS 83, MCL 551.1
28 and 551.4, are repealed.
29 Enacting section 2. This amendatory act does not take effect
LTB 00367'23 ff
 3
1 unless both of the following occur:
2 (a) Senate Joint Resolution ____ or House Joint Resolution F
3 (request no. 00367'23) of the 102nd Legislature becomes a part of
4 the state constitution of 1963 as provided in section 1 of article
5 XII of the state constitution of 1963.
6 (b) Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No. 4790 (request no.
7 00367'23 ii) of the 102nd Legislature is enacted into law.
LTB Final Page 00367'23 ff


Statutes affected:
House Introduced Bill: 551.2