In Olympia, a legislative initiative aiming to establish the minimum age for marriage at 18 in the state of Washington is progressing toward the governor’s imminent approval. During this session, both chambers of the state legislature, the House, and the Senate, endorsed House Bill 1455. Notably, this legislation faced a setback in the Senate the previous year, and earlier attempts at similar bills failed to gain momentum in preceding legislative sessions.

This year, the House demonstrated unanimous support, swiftly passing the bill on the inaugural day of the session. On the following Friday, the Senate concurred with a vote of 48-1. The solitary dissenting vote came from Republican Senator Jeff Holy of Spokane. Advocates for such legislative measures contend that they contribute to the reduction of domestic violence, mitigate unwanted pregnancies, and overall enhance the well-being of adolescents.

Democratic Representative Monica Stonier from Vancouver, the architect behind the proposal, emphasized the need to halt the perpetuation of generational trauma resulting from individuals being coerced into lifestyles or marriages for which they lack adequate preparedness. Legal provisions allowing marriage for individuals below 18 existed in all 50 U.S. states as of 2017, as reported by the non-profit organization Unchained At Last. Shockingly, nearly 300,000 minors, some as young as 10, entered into matrimony in the United States between 2000 and 2018, primarily involving young girls and adult men, according to the organization.

In the state of Washington, the Unchained At Last organization documented 5,048 marriages involving individuals under 18 from 2000 to 2021. Predominantly, parental coercion played a significant role in these instances. Presently, individuals aged 17 can marry with parental consent, while those below 17 require judicial approval.

Comparatively, Oregon sets the minimum marriage age at 17, and in Idaho, it stands at 16, as detailed by the Unchained At Last organization. The expected approval from Governor Jay Inslee would confer the bill with the force of law come June. Notably, ten other states, including Minnesota and New York, have already prohibited marriages for individuals under 18.