A Utah lawmaker has introduced legislation aimed at preventing people from crossing state lines to conduct illegal underage marriages. House Bill 103, drafted by Representative Melissa Garff Ballard, would criminalise unlawfully marrying a minor, travelling out of state to marry a minor, and transporting a minor for an illegal marriage.
The bill has drawn opposition from some local religious groups, including the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), which has faced accusations of conducting such marriages. Under current Utah law, individuals must be at least 16 to marry, and those under 18 require parental consent. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints says it discourages marriages below 16 and polygamy, but breakaway sects have been investigated for facilitating illegal child marriages.
Warren Jeffs, the leader of the FLDS, was convicted of child sex offences for presiding over child marriages in Colorado City, Arizona. Some mothers, including former FLDS member Elizabeth Roundy, have expressed concerns that their children may be trapped in illegal marriages. Roundy said she worries her daughter could be lured into an underage wedding, adding: "I just don't want her to get married young or to get in a bad situation where she's not treated right."
Ballard stressed that the bill does not alter existing marriage laws but targets those who attempt to bypass them. "This is really to say we do not want you in Utah to violate Utah marriage laws or try to go around them by just taking a minor out of state and then returning," she said. The bill is due to be considered when the Utah State Legislature meets next week, and Ballard said she has already received support from local groups.
