85R21910 MM-F     By: Cortez H.B. No. 818     Substitute the following for H.B. No. 818:     By:  Neave C.S.H.B. No. 818       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to authorizing the county clerk in certain counties to   conduct certain marriage ceremonies and collect a related fee;   authorizing a fee.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 2.202, Family Code, is amended by adding   Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:          (a-1)  For a marriage ceremony in which a participant is a   member of the United States armed forces in active-duty status and   which is performed in a county with a population of at least 1.7   million that contains a municipality in which at least 75 percent of   the county's population resides, the county clerk and any deputy   clerk appointed by the clerk are authorized to conduct the   ceremony.          SECTION 2.  Section 51.402, Government Code, is amended by   adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:          (a-1)  In a county to which Section 2.202(a-1), Family Code,   applies, the county clerk and any deputy clerk appointed by the   clerk may conduct a marriage ceremony for a member of the United   States armed forces in active-duty status.          SECTION 3.  Subchapter G, Chapter 51, Government Code, is   amended by adding Section 51.6045 to read as follows:          Sec. 51.6045.  MARRIAGE CEREMONY FEE. A clerk or deputy   clerk who conducts a marriage ceremony under Section 51.402(a-1)   shall collect a $25 fee for conducting the ceremony. The clerk or   deputy clerk shall deposit the fee in the county treasury to be used   by the county only to fund charitable organizations that:                (1)  assist or provide care for victims of family   violence or of child abuse or neglect; or                (2)  provide family violence prevention services.          SECTION 4.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to   a marriage ceremony that is conducted on or after the effective date   of this Act. A marriage ceremony conducted before the effective   date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the   ceremony was conducted, and the former law is continued in effect   for that purpose.          SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.