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California Bans Child Marriage, Protecting Next Generation; 32 States Still Allow Practice
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Firstpost•01-10-2026, 14:55
California Bans Child Marriage, Protecting Next Generation; 32 States Still Allow Practice
- •California officially banned child marriage, becoming the 18th state to set the minimum marriage age at 18 without exception, effective January 1.
- •Governor Gavin Newsom signed bill AB 1267 into law, calling it a "long overdue measure to protect young Californians and minors."
- •Previously, California allowed children of any age to marry with parental and judicial consent, making it one of only three US states with no minimum marriage age.
- •Survivor advocates, including Sara Tasneem, Courtney Stodden, and organizations like Unchained At Last and Equality Now, campaigned for nine years to achieve this ban.
- •The new law aligns California with international human rights standards and sends a strong message to the 32 states where child marriage remains legal, despite the US lacking a federal minimum marriage age.
Key Questions Answered
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed bill AB 1267 into law, setting the absolute minimum age of marriage at 18 without exception.
The new legislation banning child marriage in California officially comes into effect on January 1.
By setting the minimum marriage age to 18, California became the 18th state to ban child marriage, leaving it still legal in 32 American states.
