A bill that would prohibit individuals younger than 18 from marrying in Maryland, sponsored by state Delegate Vanessa Atterbeary, D-Howard, was heard on Thursday in front of the House Judiciary Committee.
“This topic struck a chord in me as a mom. I thought of my kids,” Atterbeary said Wednesday in an interview with CNS.
The current child marriage law in Maryland prohibits a 16- or 17-year-old individual from marrying unless they have parental consent or a doctor’s notice of pregnancy.
A 15-year-old individual could be legally married in the state if they fulfill both of the requirements that are set for 16- and 17-year-olds.
During the hearing, Atterbeary told the committee that in 1999, former Delegate David Boschert, R-Anne Arundel, sponsored a bill to prohibit an individual younger than 15 from marrying after constituents brought to his attention the news of a marriage case in Annapolis that involved a 13-year-old girl and a 29-year-old man.
“But now we’re at the point where we can (again) raise the age limit,” Atterbeary said.
Click here to read the rest of the article written by Connor Glowacki over at Capital News Service