The South Dakota House State Affairs committee defeated a bill Monday which would raise the minimum age to marry in South Dakota to 18.
The bill was sponsored by Democrat Rep. Kadyn Wittman and had bipartisan sponsorship.
She testified in favor of the bill…
The current law on the books was passed in the 1930s and allows children as young as 16 to marry with parental consent. The bill failed via an 8-5 vote.
Norman Woods with Family Voice Action spoke in opposition of the bill…
Representative Gary Cammack of District 29 explained his opposition to the bill…
According to the Dakota Scout, from 2000 to 2020, 838 minors ages 16 and 17 have been married in South Dakota.
