Photo by Eric Spiegel

The D.C. Council’s Judiciary and Public Safety Committee approved a bill yesterday that would allow nearly any adult in the District to become a temporary wedding officiant.

This is good news for Washington’s secular community, as many nonreligious people object to being married by a member of the clergy but also find being married in a court house by a judge sterile.

The committee’s members who were present—Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6), Anita Bonds (D-At Large), Jack Evans (D-Ward 2), and Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3)—agreed that D.C. residents should not have to be married in front of a judge, court clerk or a member of the clergy.

Wells, who introduced the Marriage Officiant Amendment Act of 2013, said the current law “leaves many residents on the outside of access to equal marriage.” He said the bill is in line with D.C’s progressive track record. Cheh said the bill is “long overdue.”

Steven Lowe, a board member of the Washington Area Secular Humanists, said in an email the group “applauds the direction of this bill,” but doesn’t think it goes far enough.

“It still treats secular, nonreligious persons as second class,” Lowe, who previously presented testimony to the Council about the bill, said. “We would prefer that D.C. treat secular marriage officiants equally to religious ones and grant them the option of being certified to perform as a marriage officiant without limit.”

“We would hope that someday a bill entitled Secular Marriage Officiant Amendment Act of 2013, ” without the ‘temporary,’ will be passed,” he continued.

Watch the committee’s hearing about the bill below.

Disclosure: I used to work for a secular non-profit.