State House Votes To Ban Marriage For Those Under 18 To Curb Human Trafficking

From Ken Dixon, CT Post

Amid Republican charges that the proposal is “feel-good” legislation that isn’t needed under a five-year-old law, the state House of Representatives has approved a bill that would prohibit marriage for anyone under the age of 18.

It’s aimed at combating human trafficking and arranged marriages. The 98-45 vote sends it to the Senate, where if approved, it would overhaul a 2018 law that has allowed state Probate Courts to approve marriages of 16- to 17-year-olds who fit a variety of criteria, including parental or guardian approval.

It would also end the rights of so-called emancipated teenagers from marrying as young as 16. Eleven Democrats, mostly from the state’s cities, voted against the bill.

Rep. Steve Stafstrom, D-Bridgeport, co-chairman of the legislative Judiciary Committee who introduced the bill for debate, said that science indicates that the older a young adult is, the better their ability to make major choices, from purchasing alcohol at age 21 to voting at 18. He noted that neighboring states have already adopted the 18-year-old marriage requirement, including Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Full story here.