Ohio – Ohio lawmakers came close to ending child marriage in the state, but a bill that appeared to have strong momentum was left unfinished before legislators departed for summer break, creating frustration among advocates who believed the change was finally within reach.
The debate centers on Senate Bill 341, a proposal that would remove the remaining exception in Ohio law allowing certain minors to marry. Under current rules, 17-year-olds can still marry adults up to four years older if they receive approval from a court.
Supporters of the legislation argued that closing this loophole was necessary to protect young people and bring Ohio in line with other states that have already ended child marriage entirely.
The proposal seemed to have a clear path forward. It received bipartisan backing, support from youth protection organizations, and even approval from the Catholic church. During five public hearings, no one testified against the measure. Despite that support, the bill did not make it across the finish line.
The Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approved the legislation on Wednesday, just before lawmakers began their summer recess. However, the full Senate never held a final vote, and the proposal had not yet moved into the House. The delay left reform advocates questioning why a bill with little public opposition was not prioritized.
Advocates question why the bill stalled
For groups that have spent years pushing for stronger protections, the failure to advance the measure before the break was difficult to understand.
Fraidy Reiss, founder of the nonprofit organization Unchained At Last, criticized the delay and argued that the proposal should have been an easy decision for lawmakers. “It’s just unbelievable that a bipartisan common sense bill that has no opposition from the public, that costs nothing, it has a $0 price tag…it harms no one except creepy men who prey on teenage girls,” Reiss told the Ohio Capital Journal.
Supporters of the ban say the issue is not simply about marriage but about the legal disadvantages minors may face after entering one. Democratic Sen. Bill DeMora, one of the sponsors of the bill, argued that young people placed in those situations can have limited options. “It’s unfair to have young women be the wards of their husbands,” DeMora said.
He added, “It’s ludicrous. If you’re not 18, you have no rights. You can’t go to a shelter, you can’t have an attorney. I mean, you’re basically the property, most of the time, of your husband – who’s over 18 – and it just leads to such bad, bad outcomes.” Supporters believe the state should create a clear age requirement of 18 rather than continuing to allow exceptions.
Debate grows over concerns and objections
Although the bill had public bipartisan support, some lawmakers pointed to concerns that existed behind the scenes.
Republican Sen. Sandra O’Brien said one issue involved consideration for Amish communities in parts of Ohio. “I have a lot of Amish, over 40,000 Amish in my three counties,” she said. “I mean, they have a whole different religious setup.”
However, some members of those communities rejected the idea that they should be used as a reason to delay the proposal. Amish advocate Jasper Hoffman testified that Amish and Mennonite communities were being unfairly placed at the center of the debate, saying they do not support child marriage. “This is not a reason to let children go unprotected,” Hoffman said. “That is a political strategy dressed up as cultural sensitivity.”
Other concerns reportedly came from some Republicans who questioned whether the government should intervene in every circumstance.
GOP Sen. Bill Blessing, who also sponsored the legislation, said some concerns reflected the “typical conservative argument where there can be some situation where this is ok, is this government overreach, potential issues that this would increase abortion.”
Despite the delay, Senate President Rob McColley has indicated that lawmakers are expected to return to the issue later in the year.
Survivors push for change
For advocates and survivors, the delay represents more than a political disagreement. According to reports, more than 5,000 minors in Ohio have entered marriages since 2000. A Dayton Daily News investigation found that between 2000 and 2015, 4,443 girls age 17 or younger were married in the state, including 59 who were 15 or younger.
Earlier this month, activists gathered at the Ohio Statehouse to push lawmakers to act. Among them was Stephanie Lowry, who shared her own experience of getting married at 16 to a 19-year-old. “So, a month after my 16th birthday, I stood in an Ohio courtroom, four months pregnant, and got married to this 19-year-old man,” Lowry told media. “I didn’t know the dangers in it. I’m not sure if my mother did either. She thought it was the best option. But he turned abusive and I had no legal rights.” Her story has become part of a larger effort by advocates who argue that ending child marriage removes risks for vulnerable young people.
Currently, 17 states have passed laws banning child marriage, according to reports. For now, Ohio remains outside that group. The bill may return when lawmakers come back from recess, but advocates say the delay has already sent a frustrating message after a proposal with broad agreement was left waiting for another vote.
