H 3452 General Bill, By Whipper, Allison, Cobb-Hunter, Gourdine, Govan, Harrell, 
Hosey, Jennings, Littlejohn, Mack, Martin, McCraw, Meacham-Richardson, Miller, 
Moody-Lawrence, Phillips, Quinn, Sinclair, D.C. Smith, G.M. Smith, J.R. Smith, 
Stuart, Taylor, Walker, Whatley, Wilder, A. Young and J. Young
 A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION
 20-1-110 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT COMMON LAW MARRIAGE IS NOT VALID IN THE STATE
 AFTER JULY 1, 2001, AND TO FURTHER PROVIDE THAT OTHERWISE VALID COMMON LAW
 MARRIAGES ENTERED INTO BEFORE JULY 1, 2001, CONTINUE TO BE RECOGNIZED IN THE
 STATE; AND TO REPEAL SECTION 20-1-360 RELATING TO THE VALIDITY OF A MARRIAGE
 CONTRACTED WITHOUT THE ISSUANCE OF A LICENSE.

   02/01/01  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-33
   02/01/01  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary HJ-34

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 20-1-110 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT COMMON LAW MARRIAGE IS NOT VALID IN THE STATE AFTER JULY 1, 2001, AND TO FURTHER PROVIDE THAT OTHERWISE VALID COMMON LAW MARRIAGES ENTERED INTO BEFORE JULY 1, 2001, CONTINUE TO BE RECOGNIZED IN THE STATE; AND TO REPEAL SECTION 20-1-360 RELATING TO THE VALIDITY OF A MARRIAGE CONTRACTED WITHOUT THE ISSUANCE OF A LICENSE.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION    1.    The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

    "Section 20-1-110.    No common law marriage entered into in this State on or after July 1, 2001, shall be valid. Otherwise valid common law marriages entered into before July 1, 2001, are not affected by this section and continue to be recognized in this State."

SECTION    2.    Section 20-1-360 of the 1976 Code is repealed.

SECTION    3.    This act takes effect July 1, 2001.