The Overview
Meghan Elizabeth McEntee is now allowed to officiate the wedding of Taylor Lauren Criscuolo and Michael Joseph McEntee Jr. in Narragansett, Rhode Island, thanks to a new state law, House Bill 8627, which is called "An Act Relating to Solemnization of Marriages." Rhode Island Current covered the state's process for letting friends or family members officiate weddings back in 2024.
What the Law Does
The law lets Meghan Elizabeth McEntee perform the ceremony on or about Sept. 25, 2026, in the Town of Narragansett.
This is a one-time permission for that one ceremony, not a general license to perform weddings. In plain terms, House Bill 8627 lets Meghan Elizabeth McEntee officiate the marriage of Taylor Lauren Criscuolo and Michael Joseph McEntee Jr. in Narragansett on or about Sept. 25. Once the ceremony is over, that permission runs out, and McEntee would have no further legal right to perform marriages in the state.
Legislative Status
Rep. Justine Caldwell (D-RI-30) sponsored the bill, along with Rep. Robert Craven (D-RI-32), Rep. Matthew Dawson (D-RI-65), and Rep. Bill O'Brien (D-RI-54).
The House voted 56 to 0 to pass it on June 10. The Senate agreed to the House version on June 11. The bill went to the governor on June 18 and became law on June 26, even though the governor didn't sign it.
Rhode Island lawmakers pass dozens of these one-time officiant bills over the years, so it's one of the more common kinds of private bills the state approves each session.
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