Senator Joe Robach Sponsors Bill to Waive 24-Hour Marriage Waiting Period for Military Members

Senator Joe Robach, standing up for the interests of the brave men and women who serve our country, has sponsored a bill that would help expedite the marriage process for many active members of the military. The bill (S.490), which passed the New York State Senate on May 31st, would allow military personnel scheduled for deployment within thirty days to get married within 24-hours of receiving their marriage license.

Senator Joe Robach’s sponsorship of the bill is motivated by his recognition of the special challenges faced by military personnel and their loved ones. Under current state law, couples must wait for twenty-four hours after receiving their marriage license before they can get married. While this waiting period might not seem long to many couples, it can be a difficult and inconvenient burden to men and women in the military who are deployed on short notice. Senator Robach’s proposed legislation would, in waiving the 24-hour waiting period, allow military members to get married in a more timely fashion. As reasoned within the bill, “In the short time before deployment, there are many things that military personnel need to take care of. Having to wait twenty-four hours to get married should not be one of them.”

Speaking about the bill, Senator Robach said, “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. This is one small favor we can do to accommodate their time frame.”

Senator Robach’s bill passed the New York State Senate with unanimous and bipartisan support on May 31st, just a few days after Memorial Day. The bill will now head to the New York State Assembly for approval.

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