No Minimum Marriage Age In Idaho

This blog is for the grown folks... actually I take that back, this blog is for all the teens who think they have life all figured out. This is for everyone that thinks they know it all and that their parents have absolutely NO idea what they're talking about. I know how this goes, if your parents say it... you must disagree, if your friends say it... you will take it under consideration and depending on which friend said it... it may be gospel. Here's is my point... the person that you are at 16 years old vs. the person you will be at 26 and 36 is completely different so why would Idaho not have a legal marriage age? Do we not have enough divorces? Some may say... "Why not, it's legal in Idaho"... This is true and now two eastern Idaho lawmakers are trying to change that. Republicans Barbara Ehardt and Brian Zollinger want to make 16 the legal marriage age and want to make sure that 16 and 17 year olds cannot marry someone more than 3 years older than them.

According to ktvb this is what the two reps had to say on the matter:

“Contrary to the narrative that was promoted by our Democrat colleagues, never ever did we want to marry young girls off to old men,” Ehardt said. “Our goal was to preserve parental rights.”

Ehardt said they worked with the Legislative Services Office and researched laws in other states while drafting the bill. Most states allow children under 18 to marry under some circumstances, such as with parental or court approval or if the girl is pregnant, although even with these exceptions many set absolute minimum ages ranging from 14 to 17. Idaho is one of about a dozen states that have no minimum age. Several states have made their child marriage laws stricter over the past few years.