California Bans Child Marriage: A New Era for Minors

California has officially outlawed child marriage with the signing of new legislation by Governor Gavin Newsom. This significant measure, set to take effect on January 1, 2027, prohibits individuals under the age of 18 from getting married in the state. Newsom heralded the law as a "long overdue measure to protect young Californians and minors."

Child marriage survivors, including Courtney Stodden and Brittany Bee, have lauded the law as a major victory. Stodden, who was married at 16, has been a vocal advocate for ending the practice nationwide. Bee shared her experience of being married at 17 to escape an abusive home, only to face further abuse, emphasizing that "kids... cannot consent."

California's new law means that parental consent and judicial approval are no longer sufficient to permit marriage for minors. The state was previously one of many where child marriage was legal under such conditions. This ban makes California the 18th state to prohibit child marriage since 2018.

Advocacy groups like Unchained At Last estimate that approximately 9,000 girls were married annually in California, with nearly all child marriages involving girls wed to adult men. Survivors like Sara Tasneem, who was married at 15, have been instrumental in lobbying for this change since 2017, seeing the bill's passage as a "marathon" come to fruition.