Gail Pellerin Says California Must End Child Marriage 'Once and For All' as Bill Nears Final Approval

California lawmakers are on the verge of passing legislation to end underage marriage in the state. The State Senate recently advanced the amended bill with a unanimous 38-0 vote on 19 August, sending it back to the State Assembly for final concurrence.

The Assembly originally passed the measure in June 2025, a vote that saw eight Republicans oppose the legislation. Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, who authored the initiative, argues that ending child marriage is essential to safeguard minors from sexual assault and exploitation.

Years of advocacy by survivors have continually pressured lawmakers to change California's current marriage laws. Currently, the state is among a shrinking group of states in the country with no absolute statutory minimum age for marriage, allowing minors to marry if a parent gives consent and a court grants approval.

Under the proposed legislation, these exceptions would be removed, establishing a strict minimum marriage age of 18 without exception.

The Legislative Push to End Child Marriage

An analysis by the survivor-led nonprofit Unchained at Last estimates that roughly 35,000 marriages involving minors occurred in California between 2000 and 2021. Because California lacks complete official government records regarding age at marriage, researchers must rely on these estimates to understand the full scope of the issue.

Furthermore, the nonprofit has successfully helped several other states enact similar bans. Founder Fraidy Reiss notes that the practice constitutes a human rights violation, damaging long-term educational and health prospects.

The vast majority of these unions involved underage girls marrying adult men. Advocates argue that the current legal structure restricts victims, limiting a minor's ability to file for divorce, hire legal counsel, or access domestic violence shelters without the approval of the guardians who initially consented to the union.

Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, a San Jose Democrat, asserts that the state must act to protect children. She pointed out a contradiction in the legal code: the age of sexual consent is 18 without exception, unless the individual is legally married to the minor. 'If there's even one child who is getting married in California against their will, that is one child too many,' Pellerin stated.

Former Brides Confront the Reality of Child Marriage

The impact of these laws has been detailed by former child brides. Model Courtney Stodden, who married 51-year-old actor Doug Hutchison in 2011 at the age of 16, has spent over nine years advocating for reform.

Following her divorce in 2020, Stodden began speaking publicly about the grooming dynamics of such arrangements, noting that older adults often use phrases like 'mature for your age' or 'old soul' to excuse their behaviour.

Christina Sutton shared a similar experience during her testimony before a Senate Judiciary Committee. Sutton, who was married at 17 to a 22-year-old man, recalled how her parents coached her to tell a Napa judge that the union was her own choice. She noted that, like many abused children, she chose to lie to a judge rather than risk an escalation of violence at home.

Despite unanimous approval in the state Senate this August, the bill has faced pushback in the past. Earlier legislative attempts were opposed by organisations including Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California and ACLU California Action.

Planned Parenthood has since dropped its opposition, leaving the ACLU as the sole group officially opposing the current bill. The ACLU has argued that a complete ban might push minors in abusive relationships further away from crucial social services.

If the Assembly finalises its approval of Assembly Bill 1267 by concurring with the Senate's amendments, the legislation will head to Governor Gavin Newsom for his signature. If approved, the new statutory minimum marriage age will take effect on 1 January 2027.