Connecticut
Connecticut lawmakers vote to bar anyone under 18 from getting married
HARTFORD, Conn. — Connecticut lawmakers voted Friday to tighten the state’s marriage laws, prohibiting anyone under age 18 from being issued a marriage license under any circumstance.
The legislation cleared the Senate unanimously, following a 98-45 bipartisan vote last month in the House of Representatives. It updates a 2017 anti-child marriage law that advocates contend created a dangerous loophole, leaving young people at risk of coercion and sexual abuse.
Currently in Connecticut, a 16- or 17-year-old may get a marriage license if their local probate court judge approves a petition filed on the minor’s behalf by their parent or guardian. Current state law also allows emancipated minors to marry at 16 or 17, something that will end under this new legislation as well.
The bill moves to Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont’s desk. A spokesperson said Friday the governor plans to sign the legislation into law.
Despite Friday’s unanimous Senate vote, there was criticism of the legislation in the House — including whether it’s needed given the small number of teen marriages in Connecticut, and the fact a probate judge can deny a license if they believe a young person is being coerced into marrying.
But Democratic Sen. Herron Gaston of Bridgeport spoke from personal experience about the importance of the legislation during Friday’s Senate debate. He described about how his sister was married to a 50-year-old man when she was 17 years old and living on the island of St. Lucia.
“I’ve seen the devastating impact it has had on her physically, how it deprived her of her innocence and of her childhood,” he said. “She bore five children from this marriage and eventually had to flee from the island of Saint Lucia and down to Florida in order to get away from her abuser.”
Some advocates for the legislation, dressed in wedding gowns with chains around their wrists, watched Friday’s proceedings from the Senate gallery. They noted all week how neighboring states, including Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, have already adopted the 18-year-old marriage requirement.
Connecticut is one of several states across the country this year that moved to raise the minimum age to legally marry to 18, including Vermont. Bids to raise the minimum marriage age in West Virginia and Washington stalled.
A person was found dead inside of a barn after it caught fire in Branford Thursday night.
The fire department said they responded to a barn fire on North Ivy Street just before 6:30 p.m.
Firefighters found a barn-style shed fully engulfed in flames, spreading to a nearby building.
A person was reported missing and was ultimately found dead inside of the barn, according to fire officials. Their identity is unknown at this time.
The Branford Fire Marshal, Branford police and the Connecticut State Police Fire Investigation Unit are investigating.
Crews said they were able to contain the fire quickly. No additional information was immediately available.
Patch PM CT brings you breaking and trending news stories from all across Connecticut each weeknight. Here are the top stories from across the entire state:
A pedestrian was killed after being struck by one vehicle, and police are looking for a hit-and-run driver who injured another over Christmas in the same town.>>>Read More.
Police said the shooting, which happened early Christmas morning, shut down the highway for several hours.>>>Read More.
A man is accused of stealing an acquaintance’s dog then killing it and dismembering its body, according to police.>>>Read More.
A man was shot and killed after an argument on Christmas Eve, according to police.>>>Read More.
Residents really have an excuse now to flick, er, pick the town manager’s brain.>>>Read More.
Whether you’re looking to let off some steam, or quietly reflect how you made it this far, CT has you covered this weekend.>>>Read More.
Other top stories:
The Patch community platform serves communities all across Connecticut. Thank you for reading.
New preliminary statistics from Connecticut State Police were released on Thursday. According to troopers, they responded to zero fatal crashes during their patrols on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
The new stats include responses from the start of Dec. 23 through the end of Dec. 25.
State police say they had more than 1,600 calls for service, including 168 traffic stops, 15 DUI stops, and 150 motor vehicle crashes.
State police sat 14 of those crashes had reported injuries, though none were listed as ‘serious’ and none led to death.
During the Thanksgiving holiday week, 1 fatal crash was reported by CT state police.
In total, this year’s number of traffic-related deaths is on pace for near record-high numbers.
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