Missouri bill could make marriages easier for inmates

A measure making it easier for inmates to get married is moving through the Missouri Legislature.

The legislation would create an inmate exception to a Missouri law that requires people seeking a marriage license to appear in person before the local recorder of deeds.

Some recorders have gone into prisons in the past in order to get signatures on marriage licenses.

But over the past year, three federal judges have ruled in separate cases that Missouri’s in-person license requirement is unconstitutional for prisoners wanting to get married.

A bill that passed the Senate last week and is now pending in the House would allow inmates to apply for marriage licenses using an affidavit.

The inmate marriage bill is SB796.

This story was originally published March 17, 2014 at 6:57 AM with the headline "Missouri bill could make marriages easier for inmates."