MI: Michigan Governor signs new law raising legal age to marry and bans minors from marrying with parental consent

Source: fox17online.com 7/13/23

LANSING, Mich. — Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation on Tuesday that prevents child marriage. The bills raise the minimum age to marry in Michigan to 18.

The bills also prevent parents and guardians from consenting to a minor’s marriage. It also prohibits minors from being considered emancipated upon marriage, as well as allows a parent or guardian to apply for an annulment of a marriage if one of the married parties was under the age of legal consent.

“I am proud that today child marriage has been outlawed in our state,” said state Senator Sarah Anthony. “Since first introducing the bill to end child marriage in 2018, I have heard countless stories, particularly from our young girls, of abuse they have endured in marriages they could not by themselves legally consent to. For years, efforts to end child marriage were shelved by those in power, and for years our children suffered. Standing up for children should be a nonpartisan issue. By enacting this law today, we are protecting our young ones and sending a clear message that child abuse in any form is unacceptable in our state.”

“It’s long past due that we fix our archaic child marriage laws in Michigan,” said state Representative Kristian Grant. “Under the current rules, it is far too common for teenage girls to marry older men, potentially losing their opportunity for true independence and growth…

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Yet another law to prosecute innocent people in the process.

Here they go again with that child rearing environment Again.
The big bad older man proposing marriage. Perception is important however, so somehow this law equates to more liberty or less liberty? Surely the ban means less liberty but presumptively more safety? Caveat emptor!

Just to let you know: this is the same government that wants to make it a felony for parents to prevent their children from getting gender transformation surgery, and also to vote at age 16.

I found this article yesterday and sent the link in but my comment wasn’t published, but I’m glad this site posted the story because I was curious to know what everyone thinks of it.
Me personally, I’m not in favor of government telling parents how they can raise their kids. While Michigan sets the age of consent at 16, I think the age someone can marry without consent should also be 16. It doesn’t make sense that a couple can have sex at 16, but not be allowed to marry. I’m also curious how this law will affect someone who has been legally emancipated by the court. I knew a girl long ago who was emancipated at age 15 and was also married. She was quite mentally mature for her age. So if a girl can demonstrate her mental maturity at that age, why not allow her to get married? I also had a high school friend who married at age 17 to a girl who was 24 and they’re still together and happily married.
A parent knows their child best, and if the parents make an informed decision that their child can get married before they’re 18, I don’t think the government should be allowed to prevent it.
I can remember years ago when I was under 18 when my dad would occasionally give me a beer after helping him in the garage. I don’t know what the law is today, but back then it was legal as long as I was on our property and under adult supervision.
I’m not in favor of kids running around having sex with each other, especially without using birth control, but if a mother and father deem their daughter mature enough to get married, and also deem that her boyfriend is a good guy who is able to financially support her and treat her with dignity and respect, they should be allowed to give consent if she’s under 18. My daughter is 10 and she’s a great kid. When she turns 16 she’ll obviously have a lot more freedom than she does now, but if she were to have a boyfriend who I deem to be an awesome guy who was also close to her age, I would consider giving consent for her to marry. I obviously wouldn’t allow some 40 or 50 year old guy to marry her, but if he was 17-20 years old and was financially stable, I would consider it. I’m in no big hurry, but I would like grandkids before I’m 80 years old.
That’s my opinion.

I think the law is good. At a minimum it’s consistent with other child protection laws. It sounds stupid to me to convict people for having a sexual relationship with a minor, but then allow minors to get married. So it was ok to have a sexual relationship with a minor because they have a piece of paper (marriage certificate) that says it’s ok? That sounds very back-woods crazy to me.

And they highlight girls with older men because that’s predominantly what was happening.

I am not saying I agree with the laws, sentencing and registration requirement for sex offenses. As we all know sex offense laws are horrendous and inconsistent and in some cases stupid. And the registry is draconian, but that is not what this is about.

From what I’ve seen and personally witnessed, marriage is a trap and an over-rated life choice that often leads more to regret than happiness.

Typical of them to “protect” marriage though.

Lansing knowsitalls,

How would you like it if the public made personal decisions for your teenagers? I bet you would tell the public to mind their own business and not use your kids as an agenda. It’s their bodies and their choice if getting married young becomes an issue regardless if the teenager belongs to the public or politicians.

She’s the real Joker ! Batman has nothing on this villain. 🤡

I had two female friends that I grew up with that were mature at an early age because they had the freedom to make most of their own choices at a young age. They were sisters and both got married at age 15 with parental consent. So of course they had kids yound and unfortunately died young due to nothing to do with their young marriage. So in their short life they lived and experienced a happy life with children to continue their memory’s of their mom. Many of our grandparents and great grandparents were married at a young age and stayed married to each other for the rest of their lives. I think it should be up to the parents and perhaps a juvenel judge with a therapist report to ensure there is no undue influence. However, these days I think children grow up slower and aren’t as much of a rush to get out of their parents home.

Does v. Nessel ( Michigan AG)case #23-11655 demands the crime spree since 1998 by corrupt Judicial & Executive branch officials comes to an end in Michigan and that 1000s are ordered removed from the registry.
Michigan officials severely edited laws to fake probable cause.
They imprisoned 1000s for no legal reason