Bill > SB560

This bill aims to end child marriage in Hawaii by raising the minimum age to marry from sixteen to eighteen years old and removing all provisions that previously allowed minors to marry with parental consent or family court approval. The legislation is based on growing national and international recognition that child marriage is a human rights violation that disproportionately affects young girls and can result in potential coercion, trafficking, or exploitation. The bill eliminates existing statutes that permitted marriage for individuals as young as fifteen with court approval, removes parental consent requirements, and repeals provisions related to emancipation through marriage. The legislative findings highlight that between 2000 and 2014, over 207,000 individuals under eighteen married in the United States, with 80% of child marriages in Hawaii involving girls marrying adult men. By aligning with UN Sustainable Development Goals and following trends in other states like Delaware and New Jersey, the bill seeks to protect minors from potential harm and ensure they reach a legal age of consent before entering marriage. The law will take effect immediately upon approval, making Hawaii another state that prohibits marriage for individuals under eighteen without exception.

Health and Social Services

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=560&year=2026