'Message of hope': California becomes 18th US state to ban child marriage
California has passed legislation to ban child marriage by setting the minimum age at 18, removing previous exceptions for parental consent. The law, which takes effect in 2027, is being celebrated by survivors and advocates as a major step in protecting minors.
Why it matters
This represents a significant shift in state-level social policy regarding the legal rights and protections of minors in the United States.
California has officially banned child marriage after Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation setting 18 as the minimum age for marriage and domestic partnerships in the state.Assembly Bill 1267, authored by Democratic Assemblywoman Gail Pellerin of Santa Cruz, repeals provisions that previously allowed minors to marry with parental consent and court approval. The law will come into effect on January 1, 2027.California ends exceptions for minorsNewsom signed the legislation on Wednesday alongside media personality and child marriage survivor Courtney Stodden, who was allowed by her parents to marry actor Doug Hutchison when she was 16 and he was 51.“This is a long overdue measure to protect young Californians and minors. Today, California kids are safer than ever before,” Newsom said, according to NBC Los Angeles.The legislation was sponsored by Unchained at Last and the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls.
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