Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs On January 1, New Hampshire officially implemented a comprehensive ban on child marriage, setting a stringent age limit of 18 for marriage under all circumstances. However, the legislation has prompted some lawmakers to want to add an exemption.Why It MattersThe new ban reflects growing awareness and concern over the vulnerabilities of minors entering into marriage.However, the conversation has taken a complex turn with the introduction of a bill that proposes an exception for 17-year-olds wishing to marry military members.This bill argues that military families face unique challenges and circumstances that justify such an exemption, allowing them to access essential spousal benefits like healthcare and military housing. The legislation would require the parents of the 17-year-old to consent to the marriage.
Stock photo of soldiers walking in desert
Stock photo of soldiers walking in desert
IPGGutenbergUKLtd/Getty Images
What To KnowLawmakers are considering a new bill (HB 433) that seeks to introduce an exception to this rule for 17-year-olds affiliated with military members, prompting a fresh wave of debate and discussion around the implications of such an exemption.Lawmakers met for a House Children and Family Law Committee hearing on Tuesday to discuss the bill, which is backed by six New Hampshire Republicans.The bill, which would provide an exemption to the New Hampshire child marriage ban for military members 17 years of age, has stirred debate—highlighted by the views and personal testimonies shared on Tuesday.Representative Harry Bean, a proponent of the exemption, shared his personal experience on Tuesday, stating, “Marriage under the age of 18 works if the two people are committed and the parents know their children.”Bean, who himself wed at 16 and has been married for 54 years, per New Hampshire Union Leader reporting, represents a voice from a generation where younger marriages were more common.On the contrary, Brittany Wright, a former army specialist, spoke to the risks and potential for abuse under the guise of marriage.”Child marriage gave my abuser, an adult man, who at the time was in the military, the power to groom, arrest and rape me when I was 14 years old,” Wright testified, bringing attention to the severe implications of such unions.Representative Margaret Drye, the primary sponsor of the bill, noted the bill would enable spouses to access exclusive benefits related to health care and housing.”This provides a narrowly crafted exception for those who put their lives on the line for our country,” Drye said to the Committee.What People Are SayingBrittany Wright, a former army specialist, told lawmakers in the House Children and Family Law Committee on Tuesday: “I escaped at 18 and the divorce left me homeless with no one to turn to for help, except the greatest military force this world has ever known.””Do not thank me for my service if you plan to use it as an excuse to justify the abuses that occur if we allow child marriage in our society under any circumstances.”Representative Terry Roy, a New Hampshire Republican and bill sponsor, said on Tuesday: “I can see the reason for this exception… Right now, there could be a pregnant woman in New Hampshire who is wondering how she’s going to care for that child.”Representative Margaret Drye, a New Hampshire Republican and primary bill sponsor, said on Tuesday: “I have never heard a 17-year-old soldier be called a ‘child’ soldier.”Representative Cassandra Levesque, a New Hampshire Democrat, said on Tuesday: “Do you think we should give [the ban] some time to take effect?”Fraidy Reiss, founder of Unchained At Last, who testified against the bill on Tuesday, told UNICEF in 2019: “…The divorce rate for those who marry before age 18 is 70% to 80%. We don’t have statistics about adults who are forced to marry, but studies in the United States have shown — for decades now — that age at marriage is the most accurate predictor of marital failure. The younger you are when you marry, the more likely you are to get divorced.”What Happens NextThe New Hampshire legislature will continue to debate the proposed exemption, with implications that may reach beyond state borders.The outcome will not only affect military families but also set a precedent for how child marriage laws accommodate or resist exceptions based on specific societal roles and benefits.
