Child Marriage

The Senate also passed the CROWN Act, which would ban discrimination against natural Black hair in educational settings.

Speaker Jon Patterson said he expects the House to consider legislation clarifying divorce law as well as bills related to child care.

Legislation that would raise the marriage age to 18 passed the Senate last year but died in the House.

Though the measure banning child marriage passed a House committee this week, GOP leaders said it was too late to place the bill on the calendar for debate before the session ends.

Under current state law, minors who are 16 or 17 can get married to someone under 21 if they have parental consent.

Currently, minors 16 and 17 can get married with parental consent. Proposed legislation would make the marriage age 18 with no exceptions.