Marriage-Proposal Bill Seeks To Establish Minimum Age Of 18

Published: Saturday, November 25, 2017 - 5:05am

Scottsdale Republican State Rep. Michelle Ugenti-Rita wants to repeal existing Arizona law that allows children under the age of 18 to get married.

Her bill, HB 2006, aims to reverse parental consent for persons aged 16 to 17 and to remove the provision for a Superior Court judge to allow residents to wed at any age.

"These are minors" Ugenti-Rita said. "And I am concerned that they're entering into a situation or a marriage that may not be something that they ultimately want.”

While most states set the minimum age of marriage at 18, more than half are like Arizona, which allows for exceptions and does not even have a minimum age.