Missouri lawmakers are facing a tight deadline to pass a bill that would end child marriage in the state, with only two days left in the legislative session. State Senator Holly Thompson Rehder, a Republican, introduced legislation that would set Missouri’s minimum marriage age to 18. Currently, 38 states across the U.S. allow children and teenagers under the age of 18 to get married, though more states are focusing on efforts to prevent it from happening. Advocates for ending child marriage argue that children do not have the same legal rights as adults who get married, and that those who marry before turning 18 are at a greater risk of mental and economic hardships, as well as domestic abuse. However, opponents of raising the minimum marriage age have raised concerns about personal freedoms and religious objections.
Thompson Rehder’s bill initially faced opposition from some Republican lawmakers, but it passed the State House Committee on Government Efficiency and Downsizing this week by a vote of seven to two, with some opponents absent. Two Republican lawmakers, State Representatives Tony Lovasco and Darin Chappell, voted against the bill. State Representative Lauren Arthur, a Democrat, noted that the bill may have failed if the entire committee had been present. State Representative Dean Van Schoiack, a Republican who is the committee’s vice chair but was not present for the vote, expressed concerns about government intrusion in people’s lives, but Thompson Rehder dismissed these concerns, emphasizing that a parent should not be able to sign their child into a lifetime commitment. She warned that the current law has loopholes that make Missouri vulnerable to child traffickers, and her bill aims to protect young women from being pressured into troublesome or abusive relationships.
In an April 15 legislative column, Thompson Rehder highlighted the need for the bill to remove provisions that allow for age changes based on parental or judicial permissions, simplifying the law to a clear minimum age of 18. She argued that since individuals must be 18 to sign a legally binding contract in Missouri, the same standard should apply to marriage. The bill previously passed the Missouri state Senate with little opposition, but its fate in the House remains uncertain as the legislative session ends on Friday. It is unclear whether the bill will be called for a vote and whether a majority of lawmakers will support it. Ending child marriage in Missouri is seen as a critical step in protecting children’s rights and preventing them from facing potential risks and challenges associated with early marriage.
