Overview

• New Hampshire's legislature has approved a bill to raise the minimum marriage age to 18, sending it to Governor Chris Sununu for approval.
• Republican State Rep. Jess Edwards faced backlash for describing teenagers as 'ripe, fertile' during the debate, arguing that the bill could increase abortions.
• The bill's passage could make Maine the only Northeast state allowing marriage under 18, highlighting regional disparities in child marriage laws.
• Advocates for the bill argue it will reduce risks of human trafficking and domestic violence associated with child marriages.
• If signed into law, New Hampshire will join 12 other states that have made child marriage illegal, reflecting a growing trend against the practice in the U.S.