Bill to eliminate child marriage in Missouri nears governor’s desk

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (First Alert 4) – This week, Missouri lawmakers could be sending their first bills to the governor’s desk. One of those bills approaching the finish line would eliminate child marriage in Missouri.

The senate gave near-unanimous approval to a bill that would close a loophole allowing 16 and 17-year-olds to get married with a parent’s permission. The bill heads to the House now where leadership has given it cautious support. It needs to pass unchanged to go to the governor’s desk.

The minimum age to get married in Missouri was raised from 15 to 16 years old in 2018. Teens wishing to get married have to get permission from at least one parent and their spouse has to be younger than 21. Two identical bills in the House and Senate would take away the loophole, so that only legal adults can marry in Missouri.

The bills are supported by both Republicans and Democrats. There was only one vote against this bill in the Missouri Senate. Ash Grove Senator Mike Moon, who voted against this, did not speak with me today, but holdouts in the House are concerned about this infringing on religious groups they say are encouraged to court and marry young.

“Is there something that we could make sure we’re not infringing upon their religious rights by saying, ‘Sorry can’t do it’?” said Carthage Republican Rep. Cath Jo Loy.

Former State Senator Holly Thompson Rehder championed this bill, and other lawmakers picked it up this year. Rehder experienced child marriage first-hand, at only 15, she married to escape an abusive household. Looking back, she said she was not mature enough to make such a significant decision.

“Waiting until you’re 18 doesn’t change anything for your love life,” Rehder said.

The bill heads to the Missouri House. Speaker of the House Rep. Jon Patterson voiced cautious support for the bill.

“I do want to respect some of the concerns that were raised in committee, but that’s a bill that you’ll see moving forward and I’m in full support of that,” Patterson said.

This bill passed out of the Senate last year, but it couldn’t get enough support from the House. Advocates believe educating lawmakers on this bill will be the key to getting it passed this year.

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