After several years of efforts, Alaska has taken action to protect children by limiting child marriage in the state. House Bill 62 does not ban child marriage but is an important first step to ending child marriage in the state. Until this year, Alaska had the lowest minimum marriage age set by law at just 14 and allowed older minors to marry with nothing more than parental permission.  

The new law, which passed both House and Senate with strong bipartisan majorities, raises the state’s minimum marriage age to 16. It also ensures that all minors will go before a judge before marrying, and mandates that minors may not marry a partner more than three years older. 

Los Angeles Times immigration reporter, Andrea Castillo, spoke with Daniella Prieshoff, supervising attorney at the Tahirih Justice Center, about how visa backlogs are impacting her clients that have been waiting for an answer for several years. 

The state of Massachusetts will now protect children from being forced or coerced into a legally binding contract that strips away any protection and rights they have as single minors.

After 7 long years, Maryland has taken action to protect children by limiting child marriage in the state. House Bill 83 does not ban child marriage in the state of Maryland altogether, but it is a major step in the right direction and responds to many of the concerns raised by advocates and survivors. The new law passed with strong, bi-partisan majorities in both the House and Senate.

The Washington Post’s columnist Petula Dvorak interviewed Tahirih’s Public Policy Director, Casey Swegman Carter, on the importance of passing a legislation that would end child marriage in Maryland. This is the seventh year a bill has been introduced that seeks to ban child marriage in the state.

Tahirih’s Senior Public Policy Associate, Alex Goyette, wrote an opinion piece for the Baltimore Sun. The commentary elevates the importance of passing legislation to end child marriage in Maryland. 

“I no longer have to hide in the shadows, I no longer live with uncertainty, I can finally work legally and provide for my son and daughter— I’m home, I’m safe, I’m free.”