Missouri considers bipartisan bills to ban child marriage as map highlights legal status across the U.S

newsweek.com February 4, 2025, 10:00 PM UTC

Missouri is considering a ban on child marriage through bipartisan legislation. Two bills aim to raise the legal marriage age to 18 without exceptions, replacing the current law that allows 16 and 17-year-olds to marry with parental consent. The proposed bills were introduced in January and share the same text. Missouri previously raised the minimum marriage age from 15 to 16 in 2018, but loopholes allowing child marriage remain contentious. Currently, only 13 states in the U.S. have fully banned child marriage. Missouri's potential change reflects a broader trend to protect minors from the risks associated with early marriage.


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