California bans child marriage but the practice remains legal across 32 US states

California bans child marriage but the practice remains legal across 32 US states A landmark new law will ban child marriage in California after survivors, including Courtney Stodden, endlessly campaigned for greater protections for children California is poised to become the 18th US state to ban child marriage. The new law is set to come into effect on January 1, 2027, which will see the minimum age for marriage in California set at 18, removing previous exceptions which allowed children to marry. However, child marriage remains legal in some circumstances across 32 other US states. The rules around the minimum age and consent vary across the country. Governor Gavin Newsom, who signed the legislation, said: “This is a long overdue measure to protect young Californians and minors. Today, California kids are safer than ever before.” He signed the bill alongside Courtney Stodden, who knows first-hand the impact of child marriage. Her parents allowed her to marry 50-year-old Hollywood actor Doug Hutchison in 2011 at the age of 16. They announced their separation after two and a half years of marriage, but reconciled over the years and officially divorced in 2020. Courtney began advocating to end child marriage in the United States in 2023, after openly describing her relationship as abusive and predatory. She said she would “keep fighting until children are protected from marriage in all 50 states.” On her social media, Courtney previously said: “I wasn’t an old soul. I wasn’t mature for my age. I was a child surrounded by adults who chose not to protect me.” In a separate post, she said: “I fear another girl could be facing the same thing. that fear is why I fight: children deserve protection, the chance to grow up, and the right to choose their own future. end child marriage everywhere. no exceptions.” Until today, California was one of only three states, alongside New Mexico and Mississippi, that had no minimum age to wed. Children could marry with their parents’ consent and a judge’s approval, while advocates have highlighted the difficulties minors could face trying to access divorce. But advocates have argued for nearly a decade that children cannot consent to marriage. Previously, state lawmakers introduced legislation that would have seen California become the first state to pass a complete ban on marriage for those younger than 18. But it faced opposition from the American Civil Liberties Union, the Children’s Law Center and Planned Parenthood, with concerns raised that an outright ban could restrict minors’ reproductive freedom and ability to make healthcare decisions. The measure was subsequently watered down. Since then, there have been several attempts to tighten the state’s child marriage laws. In 2018, legislation introduced additional safeguards, including Family Court Services interviews aimed at identifying potential coercion or abuse. Other survivors of child marriage applauded the new law. Brittany Bee, a former child bride, told the BBC she was married at the age of 17 in a bid to escape an abusive home - but later was allegedly abused by her adult husband. She said: “I was just going from one prison to another. People have the audacity to tell me that I made a choice - kids, they can’t consent.” She told the BBC: “California has sent a clear message to the world today, A message of hope for all children that they may be free from systemic violence. That they may choose their own path.”