Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Family Law topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate Passes Amendment Letting Judges Consent to Some Marriages of 15-Year-Olds
Summary
After floor amendments, the Utah Senate passed Substitute House Bill 48, allowing a judge to grant consent for a 15-year-old to marry under tightly defined conditions; the measure passed 23–4 with two absent and will be returned to the House for enrolling.
The Utah Senate amended and passed Substitute House Bill 48 on Feb. 8, 1999. The Senate made technical and substantive clarifications intended to narrow exceptions for minors seeking to marry — most notably setting conditions around judicial approval and preserving a minimum age threshold for recognition of out-of-state marriages.
Senator Hillier, discussing the amendments, said the changes clarify how county clerks verify custodial-parent consent, require proof of guardianship when applicable and adjusted age-related phrasing so that a person must be at least 15 for the limited judicial-consent pathway. "I don't think there's any controversy on that," the sponsor said when outlining the technical cleanup.
During floor debate, senators raised procedural and policy concerns: some worried the bill did not go far enough to protect minors and favored raising the minimum marriage age further, while others said the bill was a pragmatic approach to cases involving pregnancy or other exigent circumstances. Senator Jones announced opposition in principle, arguing that lowering barriers may encourage cohabitation rather than marriage.
The Senate called the question and the bill passed by roll call: 23 ayes, 4 nays and 2 absent. Because the Senate amended the house-originated measure, the bill will be returned to the House for further consideration and enrolling.
