Courtney Stodden is celebrating a major step in California’s effort to end child marriage. Years after marrying actor Doug Hutchison at 16, Stodden has pushed lawmakers to make 18 the minimum marriage age with no exceptions. Now, that campaign is closer to becoming law. The state Senate passed AB 1267 on Aug. 19, although the measure still has another legislative step ahead.
Courtney pushed to end child marriage after marrying Doug Hutchison at 16
TMZ reported that the California Senate unanimously approved AB 1267 on Wednesday. The bill would prevent anyone under 18 from receiving a marriage license or entering a domestic partnership.
However, the measure is not law yet. Because senators amended the bill, the Assembly must agree to the latest version before it can move to Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Meanwhile, Stodden has spent months publicly campaigning for the change. In an Aug. 12 Instagram post, she said she had returned to Sacramento with Unchained At Last to meet lawmakers and push for protections she wished existed when she was 16.
California currently allows minors to marry with court approval and parental or guardian consent. In contrast, AB 1267 would set the minimum age at 18 and remove those exceptions.
Stodden’s advocacy comes directly from her own experience. She married Hutchison in 2011 when she was 16 and he was 51. The pair later separated and finalized their divorce in 2020.
Earlier this summer, Stodden also urged Jason Alexander to support AB 1267 after he apologized for a comedy sketch she filmed as a teenager. In addition, she asked him to support Unchained At Last, the nonprofit working to end child marriage.
She has repeatedly connected those experiences to her campaign. Stodden also spoke about the need for stronger protections for minors while discussing the comedy sketch she filmed as a teenager.
For now, AB 1267 still needs final approval in the Assembly. However, Stodden is celebrating how close California has come to changing the law.
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