AB 573

This bill increases the maximum fee a county clerk may charge for issuing a

declaration of domestic partnership less than five days after receiving an

application; requires that individuals who apply for a declaration of domestic

partnership complete and file the declaration within 30 days after the clerk issues

the declaration; and requires that a clerk, when issuing a marriage license or

declaration of domestic partnership, provide information, instead of a pamphlet,

describing the causes and effects of fetal alcohol syndrome and the dangers to a fetus

from the mother's use of drugs during pregnancy.

Under current law, a county clerk generally may not issue a declaration of

domestic partnership until at least five days after the clerk receives the application

for the declaration of domestic partnership. However, at his or her discretion, the

clerk may issue a declaration of domestic partnership less than five days after the

application if the applicant pays an additional fee of not more than $10 to cover any

increased processing cost incurred by the county. This bill increases the maximum

additional fee allowed for this discretionary service from $10 to $25.

In order to form the legal status of domestic partners, under current law,

individuals are required to complete the declaration of domestic partnership, sign

the declaration, have the signatures acknowledged before a notary, and submit the

declaration to the register of deeds. The bill requires that these steps be taken within

30 days after the clerk issues the declaration of domestic partnership.

Finally, when a county clerk issues either a marriage license or a declaration

of domestic partnership under current law, he or she must provide a pamphlet

describing the causes and effects of fetal alcohol syndrome and the dangers to a fetus

from the mother's use of drugs during pregnancy. This bill requires the clerk to

provide information describing the causes and effects of fetal alcohol syndrome and

the dangers to a fetus from the mother's use of drugs during pregnancy rather than

specifying that the clerk provide a physical pamphlet with that information.