LANSING (WWJ) -- A package of bills prohibiting marriage for minors was approved by the Michigan House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday and will now go before the full House of Representatives, while a similar bill makes its way through the Michigan Senate.
If signed into law, these bills would make it illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to marry.
As the law currently stands, children under the age of 16 can wed if they obtain permission from a judge and the written consent of at least one parent.
The House Judiciary Committee, lead by Rep. Kelly Breen (D-21), approved several clarifications and amendments to the bills -- including that the new legislation is not retroactive and will not invalidate previous marriages -- before passing the entire package.
Speaking is support of the bills was Pastor Austin Kreutz, of Allegan, Michigan.
"The thing, as a pastor, that I see a lot, is people being pressured into marriage," said Kreutz. "My main concern with this, and support of it, is that there are people in our state that are looking at trying to push the concept and idea of child marriage."
Kreutz continued, saying that he does not believe children have the moral or ethical ability to make a decision about marriage, especially since the brain does not fully develop until around age 25.
Having made it out of committee, the bills will now go on to be debated and voted on by the full Michigan House.
A similar set of bills has been introduced in the Michigan Senate.
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