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SB 286

Domestic Partnership and Marriage - Required Information

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Chris West

The bill requires full names, DOB, and SSNs for domestic partnerships and marriages to be recorded electronically, with SSNs protected from public disclosure.

Approved by the Governor - Chapter 227
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Bill Summary · SB 286

SB 286 — Domestic Partnership and Marriage — Required Information (Chapter 227, 2025)

Status: Approved by Governor (Chapter 227 on April 22, 2025). Effective date: October 1, 2025.
Statutory changes: Amends Estates & Trusts §2‑214 and Family Law §2‑402 (Maryland).

Main purpose

Clarify and standardize the identity information required when (1) registering a domestic partnership with a register of wills, and (2) applying for a Maryland marriage license — and to ensure Social Security numbers (SSNs), where collected, are included in official electronic records while remaining protected from routine public disclosure.

Key provisions

  • Domestic partnership declarations (Estates & Trusts §2‑214):

    • Must include the full legal name and home address of each domestic partner, and now explicitly the date of birth and the Social Security number of each partner who has one.
    • Registers of wills must maintain records of declarations, amendments, and terminations.
    • Inspection of the portion containing a partner’s home address must be denied; the SSN also may not be disclosed as part of the public record of the declaration except as permitted under §4‑334 of the General Provisions Article.

  • Marriage license applications (Family Law §2‑402):

    • Clarifies that applicants must provide the full legal name and the date of birth of each party under oath.
    • Requires the Social Security number of each party who has one to be provided and included in the electronic file for the marriage license.
    • SSNs in the license application file are not part of the public record, except as provided by §4‑334 (which permits certain limited disclosures, e.g., to specified government entities).

Who is affected

  • Individuals registering domestic partnerships or applying for marriage licenses in Maryland (must provide DOB and SSN where applicable).
  • Registers of wills and clerks who collect and maintain these records (administrative/recordkeeping practices).
  • Entities permitted access under §4‑334 (e.g., certain government agencies) retain existing limited access rights to SSNs.

Fiscal and policy impact

  • Minimal direct fiscal impact on State and local government operations.
  • The legislation may help ensure Maryland’s compliance with federal procedures tied to child support enforcement funding by requiring SSNs in specified records (as noted in the legislative fiscal analysis).

Other notes

  • The bill emphasizes that SSNs collected are included in official electronic records but are shielded from general public disclosure, preserving privacy protections subject to existing statutory exceptions (General Provisions §4‑334).

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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