West Virginia Senate Committee Rejects Bill That Would Ban Child Marriage

The GOP-led Senate Judiciary Committee blocked the bill on a 9-8 vote. The law would have established 18 as the age of marital consent in the state.

March 10, 2023

West Virginia Republicans have blocked a bill that would have prohibited child marriages.

The state’s Senate Judiciary Committee narrowly rejected House Bill 3018 on a 9-8 vote Wednesday, exactly a week after it was passed by the West Virginia House of Delegates. Under WV’s current law, children as young as 16 can legally get married with parental consent. Those under 16 can secure a marriage license by obtaining a judge’s wavier.

The proposed bill would’ve established 18 as the age of marital consent in West Virginia, which has an alarmingly high rate of child marriages. According to the Pew Research Center, about seven of every 1,000 children between 15 and 17 were married in 2014. Most of those marriages involved an adult.

Wednesday’s decision prevented the measure from advancing to the full Senate. Kanawha County Sen. Mike Stuart was among the Republicans who opposed the bill. According to the Associated Press, he said his mother was just 16 when she got married, and gave birth to him six months later.

“I’m the luckiest guy in the world,” he said.

House Bill 3018’s main sponsor, Democratic Del. Kayla Young, slammed the committee’s decision via Twitter on Wednesday.

“Don’t worry, West Virginia…you can still marry off your toddlers and rape your own spouse without consequence,” she tweeted. “Thanks to the majority of members in Senate Judiciary. Bless the reasonable ones who want to protect children and spouses from abuse. We see you.”