“The governor believes that it’s more appropriate for such an important life decision to happen when someone achieves the age of majority,” said Jason Maulucci, the governor’s press secretary.
Before the law was enacted, minors who were 16 years or older could legally get married in Vermont with the written consent of at least one parent.
According to data from the Vermont Commission on Women, nearly 300 children were married in Vermont between 2000 and 2021. Of those, 80% were girls, nearly half of whom were married to individuals more than four years their senior, most often grown men, according to the commission.
