The New Hampshire House has voted to amend the state’s child marriage laws to allow 17-year-olds in the military to marry.
Thursday’s vote to alter current state laws comes less than three months after New Hampshire officially banned child marriage.
Newsweek has contacted New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte’s office for comment via email.
Why It Matters
Most U.S. states allow minors under the age of 18 to marry, but with restrictions such as parental consent and judicial approval.
The New Hampshire amendment would include an exception not seen in any other state that has banned child marriage. Critics of the amendment say it could lead to exploitation, as the bill does not define an age cap for the other party.
What to Know
In June 2024, former New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu signed a bill banning those under the age of 18 from obtaining marriage licenses in the state, making New Hampshire the 13th state to ban child marriages outright. The law took effect January 1, 2025.
The GOP-controlled New Hampshire House has now approved House Bill 433, which would set the age of consent for marriage at 17 if either party is an active member of the military.
The vote passed 193—178, largely along party lines, with 14 Republicans joining all but one Democrat, Dale Girard, in voting against the bill.
Girard told Newsweek he backed the amendment as it would ensure that the age of consent remains 18, but allows provision for military families who “may face unique circumstances.”
The amendment will now head to the Senate for a vote.
New Hampshire legislators have argued that 17-year-olds who join the military should be able to marry their pregnant girlfriends.
State Representative Debra DeSimone, one of six GOP lawmakers who sponsored the amendment, said in a statement that military members can be “moved from one base to another frequently,” and not allowing them to marry may prevent their families from receiving military-provided housing and other benefits.
DeSimone also argued that those old enough to join the military are old enough to marry, according to Seacoastonline.
The original child marriage in New Hampshire followed years of campaigning by Democratic state Representative Cassandra Levesque.
She spoke out against the amendment in a House floor speech Thursday, noting that no other state has allowed a child marriage exemption after raising the minimum marriage age to 18. Levesque said such marriages are “never in the best interest of the child.”
Levesque added the amendment could allow for exploitation, as the bill would allow an adult of any age to marry a child if they are in the military.
Delaware was the first state to ban child marriage in 2018. Other states that have followed include Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and New Hampshire.
Four states—California, Mississippi, New Mexico and Oklahoma—have no minimum age requirement for marriage.
What People Are Saying
Representative Dale Girard told Newsweek: “I voted for HB 433 because it provides a reasonable exception for active-duty military members by allowing 17-year-olds to marry under specific conditions. This bill ensures that the age of consent remains 18, but with a provision for military families who may face unique circumstances. It also includes safeguards like parental consent for nonmilitary 17-year-olds, balancing personal freedoms with necessary protections. Ultimately, this bill supports both the needs of military families and the welfare of minors in New Hampshire.”
Representative Debra DeSimone, in a statement Thursday: “Military members can be moved from one base to another frequently. Leaving a potential spouse and possible children unable to avail themselves of possible base housing could prevent a parent’s ability to assist in raising their child, which could seriously affect children since children historically do better with both parents in their lives. The military does not provide any benefits to a non-married partner. This bill also requires written permission from a parent or guardian.”
Representative Cassandra Levesque, in her House floor speech: “This bill allows adults to marry children. It could be someone who is 18, 19 or even 40, as there are no age guidelines. No other state has ever allowed an exception after the age has been raised to 18, because child marriage is never in the best interest of the child.”
Mona Sinha, global executive director of women’s rights advocacy group Equality Now, told Newsweek: “The new amendment allowing 17-year-olds to marry active-duty service members of any age sets a dangerous precedent and threatens to undermine all progress made towards ending child marriage in the U.S. over the past several years.”
“Child marriage is just as dangerous in the military context as it is in civilian life, and all minors deserve equal protection against human rights abuses, regardless of whom they marry. The efforts to weaken child marriage laws in New Hampshire is a reflection of the broader pushback on legal protections for women and girls by the antirights movement in the U.S. and many parts of the world. This is a reminder that we cannot afford complacency.”
New Hampshire Libertarian Party, posted on X, formerly Twitter: “Obviously if a person can have sex, it ought to be legal to get married. Democrats want it to be legal to have sex but not get married because they hate families and religion.”
What Happens Next
It is unclear whether the amendment to New Hampshire’s child marriage law will be approved by the Senate.
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