Republican lawmakers in Idaho vote down law that would’ve ended child marriage

Patheos sums it up quite succinctly: Led by conservative Christians, Republican lawmakers in Idaho vote down legislation that would have ended child marriage in the state.

On Thursday, the state of Idaho’s Republican-controlled House of Representatives voted down legislation aimed to prevent children under the age of 16 from getting married. The bill would require the consent of…

1. most importantly, the child (who is, if you’ll recall, under 16),
2. the child’s parents,
3. and a court.

Defenders of this terrible vote included Republican representative Bryan Zollinger…

“I do not think courts should be involved in marriage at all. I don’t believe there should be a license required to get married. I think two willing people should be able to go and get married.”

 

 

 

…and Republican Representative Christy Zito mentioned abortion, which is legal in Idaho before age 18 with approval from a parent or judge:

“It will then become easier in the state of Idaho to obtain an abortion at 15-and-a-half years old than it will to decide to form a family.”

 

 

 

 

 

Further reading

Source: UnchainedAtLast.org. Click the image to see the source.

• Newsweek: REPUBLICAN CONTROLLED IDAHO CONGRESS REJECTS BILL TO END CHILD MARRIAGE FOR THOSE UNDER THE AGE OF 16
• The Hill: Idaho lawmakers kill bill that would have ended child marriage under 16 in state
• Idaho Statesman: This bill would have ended child marriage for those under age in Idaho. The House voted it down
• UnchainedAtLast.org: Child Marriage – Shocking Statistics, whose stats indicate that Idaho has the highest rate of child marriage in the U.S.