Revision: Jan. 27, 2017, 8:42 a.m.
HB 499 - AS INTRODUCED
2017 SESSION
17-0450
05/08
HOUSE BILL 499
AN ACT relative to the age at which certain persons may marry.
SPONSORS: Rep. Cilley, Straf. 4; Rep. Rosenwald, Hills. 30; Rep. Berrien, Rock. 18; Rep. Gile, Merr. 27; Rep. Read, Rock. 17; Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21; Sen. D'Allesandro, Dist 20; Sen. Watters, Dist 4
COMMITTEE: Children and Family Law
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This bill provides that both men and women must be 18 years of age to enter into a valid contract for marriage. Currently, the minimum age for males is 14 and the minimum age for females is 13.
The bill also increases the minimum age at which a minor may petition the court to marry to 16 years of age.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
17-0450
05/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Seventeen
AN ACT relative to the age at which certain persons may marry.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Marriageable Age. Amend RSA 457:4 to read as follows:
457:4 Marriageable. No male below the age of [14] 18 years and no female below the age of [13] 18 years shall be capable of contracting a valid marriage that is entered into by one male and one female, and all marriages contracted by such persons shall be null and void. No male below the age of 18 and no female below the age of 18 shall be capable of contracting a valid marriage between persons of the same gender, and all marriages contracted by such persons shall be null and void.
2 Marriage; Petition by Party Under Age. Amend RSA 457:6 to read as follows:
457:6 Petition by Party Under Age. If special cause exists rendering desirable the marriage of a person resident in this state, or the marriage of a person who is a nonresident in this state who applies for permission to marry a resident in this state, either person being at least 16 years of age but below the age of consent [and above the ages specified in RSA 457:4], the parties desiring to contract such marriage, with the parent or guardian having the custody of such party below such age, if there be such parent or guardian, may apply in writing to the judicial branch family division having jurisdiction in the location in which one of them resides, for permission to contract such marriage. No waiver shall be granted to persons below the age of consent if both parties are nonresidents.
3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2018.