The New York State Senate today passed a bill (S.490), [2] sponsored by Senator Joe Robach, that waives the 24-hour waiting period for military members to get married after receiving a marriage license. This would apply to military members who are scheduled for deployment in less than 30 days.
“Given the sacrifice, coupled with the unique circumstances of active veterans, we feel this bill will better accommodate the requests of some of our brave men and women in the military with their personal and family lives,” said Senator Robach. “This is one small favor we can do to accommodate their time frame.”
Under current law, couples must wait at least 24 hours after getting a marriage license before they marry. While this does not seem like a long wait for most couples, for military families, this delay can be an inconvenience. This legislation would allow those members of the military who are going to be deployed in less than 30 days to get married in a more timely manner.
Military families who are facing a deployment have a number of logistical items to take care of, and this legislation ensures that the ability to marry without a waiting period is not one of them. A similar waiver was granted to military personnel during the Vietnam War but that has since expired.
The bill will be sent to the Assembly.
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