Oklahoma Becomes the 17th State to Ban Child Marriage

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Oklahoma has joined 16 other states and Washington, D.C., in banning child marriage. Child marriage involves at least one person under 18, and the United Nations views it as a violation of human rights and a form of forced marriage.

In 2017, it was possible for minors to marry in all 50 U.S. states. Now, nearly a decade later, 17 states and Washington, D.C., have set the minimum age to marry at 18 without exceptions.

Between 2000 and 2018, nearly 300,000 U.S. minors, some as young as 10, were legally married. Most were girls marrying adult men, according to Unchained at Last, a nonprofit working to eliminate child marriage.

Oklahoma’s Legislative Action

Oklahoma’s new law mandates that marriage participants must be at least 18, with no exceptions. The state Senate passed the bill unanimously, while the state House experienced some Republican pushback before ultimately passing the bill by a single vote.

Previously, Oklahoma law allowed minors to marry with parental or guardian consent. Courts could authorize marriage for children aged 16 or younger.

States Where Child Marriage Is Still Legal

Child marriage laws in the U.S. vary widely, and the following states still allow some form of child marriage according to Unchained at Last:

Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maryland
Mississippi
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Mexico
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

Efforts are ongoing in these states to change the laws. For example, Wisconsin Democratic lawmakers have proposed legislation to end child marriage entirely, requiring all parties to be at least 18 years old.

Advocates argue child marriage exposes minors to abuse and vulnerability due to their limited legal rights. The inconsistency in state laws allows minors to be taken across state lines for marriage where child marriage is still legal.