Active duty military personnel may soon be able to marry by video conference in Texas

We’ve seen a major uptick in the use of video conferencing during the coronavirus pandemic as states change their laws and policies in order to accommodate travel limitations and health and safety guidelines. (This includes a rise in wedding ceremonies that are officiated remotely in states where it’s permitted.) 

Now, it looks as if this same technology might be able to help active duty military come together to marry more easily during deployments and other operations.

If a new bill passes in Texas next year, members of the armed forces will have the option to participate in their wedding ceremony remotely using video conference technology. 

Currently, servicemen and women who are stationed outside of the country (or with other operations that make it impossible for them to attend a ceremony or sign a license in person) can ask another adult to physically stand in for them as a “proxy.” To prepare for a proxy marriage, the member files the appropriate paperwork (including an Affidavit of Absent Applicant), allowing the proxy to take their place while finalizing the marriage. 

Texas House Bill No. 675, prefiled for 2021, would provide active duty military with the option to participate in a proxy marriage (as described), or in a virtual ceremony with a justice of the peace that has video conference technology available for courtroom use. 

To read the full text of H.B. 675, including other changes to the affidavit process, head here.  

(Interested in officiating a marriage ceremony online? Read These are the states where you can - and can’t - get married online to find out more about Zoom, Skype and other virtual weddings in your state.)

To learn how to perform a wedding in Texas as an AMM Minister, and learn more about Texas marriage laws, visit our Texas Wedding Officiant Registration pages.