California moves to outlaw child marriage amid ACLU and Planned Parenthood opposition

In June, Democratic lawmakers introduced Assembly Bill 1267 to prohibit child marriage in California, a practice that presently permits minors to wed with parental and judicial consent. Using a “gut-and-amend” tactic to bypass the normal filing deadline, the proposal passed both chambers with overwhelming support in August and now heads to Gov. Gavin Newsom for signature or veto by Sept. 30. The ACLU opposes the ban, saying it would remove a path to emancipation and limit reproductive autonomy, while Planned Parenthood declined to take a position this session after focusing on other health-care battles.

Advocates note that about 9,000 children—predominantly girls married to adult men—are married annually, effectively legalizing relationships that would otherwise be statutory rape. The effort follows a decade of failed attempts, with previous opposition from the same groups in earlier bills. Survivors such as Sara Tasneem, forced into marriage at 15, have welcomed the change, and groups like Unchained at Last view the bill as a long-overdue step.