Massachusetts – End Child Marriage
Legislative Activity
2021 – 2022 Legislative Session
Senator Chandler and Rep. Khan re-filed bills to end child marriage in Massachusetts: HD718 and SD292. Co-sponsors are being sought. See our Call to Action with step-by-step guidance to contact your Massachusetts legislators.
2019 – 2020 Legislative Session
JPus proudly signed on as a supporter of Massachusetts’ S2294 (formerly HB1478/S24), An Act to End Child Marriage. These bills were introduced in parallel by Representative Kay Khan and Senator Harriette L. Chandler. It would ban all marriages of anyone younger than 18 years – no exceptions.
On March 26, 2019 there was a hearing on the senate bill before the Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities. It passed out of committee on July 18, 2019 and the full Senate voted unanimously in favor on July 25, 2019. Despite this, it didn’t make it out of the House and needs to be resubmitted next year.
Background
In 2017 Representative Khan submitted a bill (H2310) to end child marriage. The bill didn’t pass, even though there were 15 cosponsors and a hearing scheduled.
In 2019, H.1478, Rep. Khan’s legislation to end child marriage in MA was placed into a study order, meaning it died in the Judiciary Committee.
Testimony
JPus has submitted testimony at every stage of the 2019 legislative session to support efforts to end child marriage in the state.
- On March 23, 2019 in support of S24 to the Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities
- On July 21, 2019, supporting S24 to the full Senate
- On November 20, 2019 now renamed S2294 to the full House
Related Links
- Learn more about our partners, Unchained at Last and Tahirih Justice Center, in the fight against child marriage
- JPus is running a webinar for marriage officiants about child and forced marriage. Save the date: April 7th at noon.
- Read about JPus’ efforts to end child marriage in all of the states we are active in.
- Learn about JPus members’ vote to join the Coalition to End Child Marriage.