Stories
California's Child Marriage Bills: A Precedent for the US?
- •California Governor Gavin Newsom is considering two bills, AB 1267 and AB 2534, that could significantly impact child marriage laws in the state.
- •AB 1267 aims to completely ban marriage or domestic partnerships for anyone under 18 in California, while AB 2534 would establish the first forced marriage restraining order in the US.
- •Currently, only 17 out of 50 US states have banned child marriage, with California having no minimum age for marriage if parents and a judge consent.
- •Advocates, including the Tahirih Justice Centre, emphasize that these bills would prevent forced marriages and protect minors, countering arguments that a pregnant child should be allowed to marry.
- •The legislation could set a national precedent, as advocates continue to push for similar bans and federal action to address child marriage across the United States.
Key Questions Answered
AB 1267 completely bans anyone under 18 from getting married or entering into a domestic partnership in California with no exceptions. Meanwhile, AB 2534 establishes the state's first forced marriage restraining order, allowing minors or adults facing unwanted marriages to seek civil legal protection.
Past opposition came from a youth-rights perspective with groups like the ACLU and Planned Parenthood arguing that teenagers should retain certain rights to make personal decisions. Additionally, some lawmakers expressed personal discomfort over potentially delegitimizing family marriages or raised conservative objections regarding pregnancy exceptions.
Introduced in 2026, the Child Marriage Prevention Act targets areas under federal jurisdiction by addressing immigration loopholes that permit marriage-based visas for children. It also tackles child marriages on federal facilities, creates financial incentives for states, and encourages establishing state working groups and data collection.
