Happy bride and groom embracing in the park, wedding day
Credit: Kostyazar / ThinkStockThe state of North Carolina has a reputation for being a destination for child brides since right now their legal marriage age is 14, but legislators are looking to change that.
New legislation making its way through the state Congress would increase the marriage age to 16 and also limit the age difference between a 16-year old spouse to four years.
North Carolina is currently one of 13 states that allow children under 16 to wed. Believe it or not, nine of those states don’t have an age restriction, as long as a judge signs off on it. In North Carolina, those as young as 14 can tie the knot if they become pregnant and a judge signs off on it. They can also wed at 16 with their parent's permission.
As for whether the law will pass, currently, it needs one more Senate vote before it can be signed into law by Democratic Governor Roy Cooper.
Source: New York Post
