California has enacted legislation prohibiting marriage before age 18 without exceptions, marking a significant milestone in domestic efforts to eliminate child marriage. Governor Gavin Newsom signed Bill AB 1267 on September 30, which repealed prior provisions allowing minors to marry with parental consent and judicial approval. The legislation was sponsored by advocacy organization Unchained at Last and the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls. The signing ceremony featured advocate Courtney Stodden, a survivor of child marriage who was 16 when she married a significantly older man.
California now joins 17 other states in prohibiting child marriage entirely, while 32 states continue to allow such unions under varying restrictions. The bill’s passage represents the culmination of efforts by survivors and advocacy groups spanning nearly a decade. Supporters highlighted concerns including early pregnancy, social isolation, interrupted education, limited career opportunities, and increased vulnerability to domestic violence faced by child brides and grooms.
The United Nations designates child marriage as a human rights violation, estimating that 12 million girls become child brides annually worldwide. Multiple nations including Sierra Leone, England, the Philippines, and the Dominican Republic have recently passed legislation setting the minimum marriage age at 18. However, legal prohibitions alone do not guarantee elimination of the practice; India’s laws against child marriage coexist with an estimated 1.5 million girls under 18 marrying annually according to UNICEF.
Federal action in the United States remains under consideration. On July 16, congressional representatives introduced the Child Marriage Prevention Act, seeking to establish a nationwide minimum marriage age of 18. Data compiled by advocacy groups indicates that more than 314,000 minors were legally married in the United States between 2000 and 2021, with most underage girls married to adult men. Advocates note that marital exemptions in state statutory rape laws have shielded adult spouses from prosecution in numerous cases, and married minors often face legal barriers to obtaining divorce, legal representation, and protection from abuse.
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