A Separation of Marriage and Legal Status

Precedents

A Bar MItzvah or Bat Mitzvah is understood as a right of passage into adulthood, and is restricted to adherents and genetic or cultural members of Judaism. But it is not recognized legally as the age of adulthood or as an emancipated minor, by government agencies—or even by the community itself, in a modern sense.
A funeral ceremony holds no legal recognition and its performance adds no credibility to a legal certificate of death.
Religious organizations, governments, and the public at large, have quite visibly and continually made strides to restrict the definition of the institution of Marriage to 2 persons, currently of opposite gender. It is asserted by these proponents that to recognize families based on same-gender relationships would deteriorate the fabric of the conventionally recognized families of opposite-gender origin. There is no basis for this assertion, but it remains a topic of passionate controversy.

Core Description

If [religious] marriage is not available to all legal adult citizens, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, then it can no longer be recognized as a status with benefits by businesses or official agencies. To do so would be discrimination on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, or religion.

So it should be resolved immediately that existing marriages be dissolved at a determined expiration date [one's birthday?], to be phased-out after a particular year so as not to cause a sudden impact of paperwork, and all associated benefits suspended until alternative contracts have been registered.

And as an alternative, all legal adults are invited to register their relationships of 2 or more persons to be given legal status with a Federal bureau. The name of this contract is not yet determined, but it will not be "Marriage." This registration will offer a means, among other benefits, of combining property and giving power of attorney, and should be recognized by hospitals, tax boards, adoption agencies, custody courts, schools, credit reporting agencies, and all state governments. A list of benefits of this contract will be determined based on the greatest number of common legal needs [possibly into the thousands], and recognized nationwide.

These Federal registrations are open to associations of 2 or more persons. Bodies of 12 or more people might create a board of directors. Children, whether born to one parent, or adopted, should be registered into these relationships.

These licenses should also expire after a period of 4 to 10 years. At the time of expiration, if the license is allowed to lapse, a redivision of property should be given streamlined guidelines, thereby eliminating, except in extenuating circumstances, the need for divorce court and its associated lawyers. It is suggested that agreements of redivision be determined at the time of each renewal of the contract.

Regardless of [or in addition to] these legal licenses, religious and non-religious ceremonies can be performed at the discretion both of the parties concerned and of religious organizations. These religious organizations are free to restrict participation by any qualifications currently allowed.

In Short:

Religious Marriage and its [antiquated] definition remains protected. Religious Marriage is no longer legally recognized. This contract is elective and individuals can choose to hold no legal status in their relationships.

Further Discussion

As the industry of divorce lawyers is immediately diminished, it it recommended that they be given priority in employment to make career changes to become registrars of this Federal joining of rights and property.
This resolution gives equal treatment to all adults capable of signing legal contracts, and at the same time protects religious marriages from the threat of discrimination lawsuits.
This resolution attempts also to streamline complications, as previously defined by "Traditional Marriage," of groups of 3 or more persons in a relationship.
Legal recommendations should be offered as to what process this resolution should seek in order to become official public policy of the [state or] Federal Government.
The obvious agencies affected immediately are Immigration and Naturalization, The Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Motor Vehicles, schools, and adoption agencies.