Ohio Senate sends bill increasing marriage age to Gov. Kasich for signing

CLEVELAND, OH (WOIO) - With a unanimous vote of 32-0 on Thursday, the Ohio Senate passed proposed legislation that would raise the marriage age in the state to 18.

House Bill 511 was introduced in Feb. 2018 and passed by the House in June.

The proposed legislation states:

“... only male persons of the age of eighteen years, and only female persons of the age of eighteen years, not nearer of kin than second cousins, and not having a husband or wife living, may be joined in marriage...”

Currently, children of any age can marry with parental consent. House Bill 511 would require both the bride and groom to be 18 years of age unless a juvenile court approves marriage at the age of 17.

The bill was introduced by Republican Rep. Laura Lanese and Democratic Rep. John Rogers. It will now head to Gov. John Kasich for final approval.

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