Bill > HB647

This bill aims to end child marriage in Hawaii by raising the minimum age requirement for marriage from sixteen to eighteen years old and removing several provisions that previously allowed minors to marry. Specifically, the bill eliminates the family court's ability to approve marriages for individuals under eighteen, removes the requirement for parental consent for marriage, and repeals existing statutes that outlined procedures for minors seeking to marry. The legislation is motivated by national and international concerns about child marriage, which is increasingly recognized as a human rights violation that disproportionately affects young girls and can lead to potential coercion, trafficking, or exploitation. The bill cites data showing 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 the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of ending child marriage by 2030, the bill seeks to protect minors from potential harm and ensure that individuals entering marriage are legally considered adults capable of providing informed consent. The changes will standardize marriage laws with other legal definitions of childhood and remove exceptions that could potentially put young people in vulnerable situations.

Health and Social Services

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=647&year=2025