Hawaiʻi’s Underage Marriage Dilemma: A Legislative Standstill
In the last decade, 90 minors, predominantly girls, have been married in Hawaiʻi, a state where underage marriage remains legal. State Sen. Joy San Buenaventura has expressed a belief that marriage can sometimes provide necessary benefits for youths, particularly those escaping abusive situations or pregnancy. Notably, 15-year-olds can marry with parental and judicial approval despite being too young to obtain a driver’s license or vote.
Recently, a bill aimed at raising the legal marriage age to 18 without exceptions gained momentum in the House of Representatives but faltered in the Senate. It marks the seventh consecutive year that similar legislation has failed to pass, reflecting the barriers faced in changing the law. Under current regulations, minors can marry with parental consent at 16 or 17 and judicial approval at 15.
Alex Goyette from the Tahirih Justice Center criticized the continued allowance of child marriage, highlighting the potential harms and exploitative situations it can create for young people. From 2000 to 2022, over 800 minors were legally wed, with most cases involving teenage girls marrying significantly older men.
Sen. San Buenaventura has become a focal point of the debate, asserting that marriage can provide vital benefits, like health insurance, that cohabitation cannot. Critics argue this perspective risks placing vulnerable teens in precarious situations. The issue has seen advocacy and pressure from various national organizations seeking to eliminate child marriage, pointing out that even as states ban the practice, minors remain at risk.
As the legislative session ended, the future of the proposed bill remains uncertain, with advocates vowing to continue their efforts in the upcoming year.
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