The Connecticut House of Representatives has advanced a bill that would prohibit city employees from asking for citizenship status or a Social Security number to apply for a marriage license.
It’s in response to an incident in New Haven last December when a city employee was put on administrative leave for flagging over 70 marriage licenses to federal immigration services. The employee retired before further action could be taken.
Representative Steve Stafstrom (D-Bridgeport), chair of the Judiciary Committee, supports the bill.
“It makes clear that a Social Security number is a permissible form of identification to obtain a marriage license, but it is not the only permissible form of identification,” Stafstrom said.
To apply for a marriage license, there are a number of forms of identification that can be provided. A government-issued photo ID, like a driver's license, is preferred. But if that is not an option, two other forms of identification can be presented: a birth certificate, voter registration card, utility bill, vehicle registration or firearm permit.
The legislation advanced with a vote of 109-39 without support from several Republicans, including Representative Craig Fishbein (R-Middlefield).
“We spent a lot of time last session talking about underage marriage, human trafficking, things like that,” Fishbein said. “And certainly, you know, lifting some of these provisions may open the door to some of that illegal activity.”
The legislation is headed to the Senate for a vote.
