Bill to make marriage easier for people with disabilities

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

1. The bill would change Article 56 of the Civil Code so that, before getting married, people with disabilities can receive human, technical and material supports that help them give and understand their marital consent.
2. A medical report would only be required in exceptional cases, when a health condition clearly prevents giving consent despite those supports. Under the previously approved text, such a report was required for anyone with mental, intellectual or sensory impairments.
3. The bill would also adjust Article 58 of the Civil Registry Law with the same rules on supports and exceptional medical reports, and would delay the entry into force of these marriage rules until that law is fully in force.

Who it affects

• People with disabilities who want to get married: Could marry with supports and without an automatic medical report, except in exceptional cases.
• Judicial secretaries (Letrados de la Administración de Justicia), notaries and Civil Registry officials: Would have to offer supports and request the medical report only in exceptional cases.
• Government bodies and social initiative organizations defending the rights of people with disabilities: Could be called on to provide those supports to the future spouses.

Words worth knowing

Dictamen médico

A written medical report on whether a person is able to do something, here to give their consent to marriage.

Consentimiento matrimonial

The free acceptance each future spouse gives to get married.

Registro Civil

Civil Registry, the public office where key life events such as births and marriages are recorded.

It summarizes the text passed by the Senado. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries