California bans child marriage with new law setting age at 18

Governor Gavin Newsom has signed AB 1267 into law, officially banning child marriage in California by setting 18 as the absolute minimum age for marriage and domestic partnerships. The new legislation removes previous exceptions that allowed minors to marry with parental consent and judicial approval.

This move follows a nearly decade-long campaign led by survivors and advocacy groups, including Unchained at Last and the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls. Advocates argued that the previous lack of a statutory minimum age created a loophole that could facilitate abuse. California is now the 18th state in the U.S. to prohibit child marriage without exception.

While California joins a growing number of states implementing such bans, child marriage remains legal under varying restrictions in 32 other states. On a global scale, the United Nations classifies child marriage as a human rights violation, noting its links to early pregnancy, social isolation, and domestic violence.