Colorado Closer To Implementing Minimum Age To Wed

Colorado allows marriage at any age..perhaps not for much longer.

I was surprised to learn that Colorado is one of a handful of states that allows marriage at any age. Did you know that nearly 4,900 minors have requested a marriage license since the year 2000? Among the requests, 127 involved a bride or groom that were 15 or younger. There were 10 that were under the age of 13. Those seeking unions that are 15-year-old or younger must have approval by both a judge and a parent. 16-year-olds need a parent or a judge to sign off on the marriage.

Colorado Representative Chris Hansen, a Democrat from the Denver area, is planning to on reintroduce a bill to reform the age of marriage in Colorado. Hansen's bill would ban marriage for anyone 15 years or younger. 16 and 17-year-olds would need a judges approval.

Representative Hansen says he's heard parents of 16-year-olds signing off on marriage and says it's looked suspicious to some county clerks. "I know this is happening all over the state, where they are noticing situations where 16, 17-year-old girls are being brought in -- sometimes with their mother or father -- and the situation doesn't seem quite right," says Hansen.

What do you think? Should there be a minimum age for marriage or is Colorado's law fine the way it is?

Credit: Fox31