Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation to prevent child marriage, raising the minimum age for a person to consent to marriage to 18, officials announced.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation to prevent child marriage and protect minors.

The bills raise the minimum age for a person to consent to marriage to 18, according to Whitmer’s office.

“Keeping Michiganders safe and healthy is one of my top priorities, and today’s bipartisan bills will build on our efforts to protect young people—especially young women—from abuse,” said Whitmer. “As a county prosecutor, I went after those who used their power to prey on young people, and as governor, I am proud to sign legislation to strengthen protections for children and survivors into law. Together, we can make Michigan a safe, welcoming state where you can grow up and pursue your potential.”

      • WHYAREWEALLCAPS@lemmy.world
        38·
        1 year ago

        Right? It’s like people forgot about that one Republican talking about how he knew women who’d gotten married when they were 12 and were happy when defending their state’s child marriage laws.

        • Algaroth@lemmy.world
          18·
          1 year ago

          That was so bizarre. He thought he was making a point for child marriage but any sane person would see it as the opposite.

          • Buddahriffic@lemmy.world
            5·
            1 year ago

            For a long time, (certain) people thought that the best way to deal with a rape victim who got pregnant was to marry her to her rapist. Marriage makes everything ok!

    • electrogamerman@lemmy.world
      331·
      1 year ago

      Wait a fucking damn one minute! I as gay man im damaging children by wanting them to learn that there are different families and each deserves respect, but marrying a child is legal?

    • DiagnosedADHD@lemmy.world
      17·
      1 year ago

      It said support was bipartisan, which if you know anything about Michigan conservatives and Whitmer its pretty shocking they’d agree on anything

    • SpezBroughtMeHere@lemmy.world
      15·
      1 year ago

      I’m curious as to why she’s been in office for four years and only now thinks it’s an issue that needs addressed. I mean, finally, good. But shouldn’t something like that be day one? I guess roads were more important.

      • Zombie-Mantis@lemmy.world
        5·
        1 year ago

        The governor signs bills, she doesn’t write them, so that’s more of a question for the Michigan legislature. You’re still right, & this should’ve been done years ago, but at least it’s happening. Many states still allow it.

        • SpezBroughtMeHere@lemmy.world
          21·
          1 year ago

          My bad. I was under the impression that the governor could issue executive orders like what happen during covid. Probably reserved for things they deem important.

          • dhork@lemmy.worldEnglish
            11·
            1 year ago

            In the US federal government (and I assume most, if not all, state governments), the job of the legislature is to create laws, and the job of the Executive is to enforce and execute them. (The job of the judiciary is to interpret the laws and apply them to individual cases through trials).

            Executive orders are directives issued by the President or Governor that clarify and explain how laws are to be enforced by the Federal agencies under the Executive Branch. They can’t create new law, as that is Congress’s job, but they can clarify how agencies are meant to enforce the law, and in certain cases Congress may explicitly grant certain powers to agencies, so the Executive can make orders on those matters that have the force of law as well.

      • Chunk@lemmy.world
        3·
        1 year ago

        Also she was probably just as surprised as the people in this thread that child marriage wasn’t illegal.

  • jeffw@lemmy.worldMEnglish
    47·
    1 year ago

    House Bill 4296, sponsored by Rep. Betsy Coffia, D – Traverse City, is a grandfather law that ensures minors who are currently married do not lose their spousal benefits under the new laws.

    That’s just weird to read

    • parrot-party@kbin.social
      48·
      1 year ago

      It’s horrible but trying to force-ably separate them at this point would only lead to the minors being hidden from view, deepening the abuse. Additionally, the minors are highly unlikely to actually leave their spouse, no matter how bad their situation is. Adding fuel to the “society doesn’t want us together” would only serve to deepen the minor’s distrust in everyone but their spouse, making it much harder to help them from any ongoing abuse.

  • sarcasticsunrise@lemm.ee
    452·
    1 year ago

    I’m not too well versed on Whitmer’s political stance, but she keeps pissing a certain kind of people off. She could be some milquetoast lib for all I know but this is clearly a win, amirite? I can’t conceive of how any village elders who trot about PROTECT CHILDREN could possibly object to this. Couldn’t happen in my America

  • Alien Nathan Edward@lemm.ee
    233·
    1 year ago

    Christian conservatives be like “Oh no, what transparently thin veil will I use to cover child sex slavery now?”

    • TurtleJoe@lemmy.world
      17·
      1 year ago

      Lol, it’s legal in the vast majority of states.

      As of July 2023, ten states have banned underage marriages, with no exception: Delaware (2018),[3] New Jersey (2018),[4] Pennsylvania (2020),[5] Minnesota (2020),[6] Rhode Island (2021),[7] New York (2021),[8] Massachusetts (2022),[9] Vermont (2023),[10] Connecticut (2023)[11] and Michigan (2023).[12]

      It’s especially super cool when parents marry their underage teenage daughter to her rapist, and then he becomes her legal guardian. I’ll let you guess which major political party overwhelmingly supports this.