California bans child marriage, a practice still legal in 32 US states

California has passed a law that makes 18 the minimum age to marry, with the governor signing it and the change taking effect on 1 January 2027. Until now the state had no statutory minimum, allowing minors to wed with parental consent and a judge’s approval; advocates say that legal gap produced about 9,000 child marriages a year in California and almost always involved girls marrying adult men. The state becomes the 18th to ban child marriage since 2018, while the practice remains legal in 32 US states. Supporters and the governor described the move as long overdue to protect minors and reduce systemic abuse and coercion tied to early unions, and critics of the prior system pointed out there was often no clear way for under‑18 spouses to obtain a divorce.

Survivors who lobbied for the change recounted being forced or pressured into marriages as teenagers, dropping out of school, becoming young parents and suffering alleged abuse; notable advocates include a woman who married at 16 to a much older actor and others who said they married to escape abusive homes only to enter new abusive relationships. Campaigners argue children cannot give meaningful consent to marriage, and the law’s passage was framed as a victory for those survivors and a step toward banning child marriage nationwide.