D.C. Law 25-311. Child Marriage Prohibition Amendment Act of 2024.

AN ACT

To amend Title 16 of the District of Columbia Official Code to make conforming changes; and to amend An Act To establish a code of law for the District of Columbia to provide that the age of marital consent shall be 18 years of age with no exceptions, and to prohibit the Clerk from issuing a marriage license to any person who is under the age of 18.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act may be cited as the "Child Marriage Prohibition Amendment Act of 2024".

Sec. 2. Title 16 of the District of Columbia Official Code is amended as follows:

(a) Section 16-904(d)(5) is amended to read as follows:

"(5) where either of the parties had not attained the age of 18, but in such cases only at the suit of the party who had not attained such age.".

(b) Section 16-2301(20)(A) is amended by striking the phrase "marriage, enlistment" and inserting the word "enlistment" in its place.

Sec. 3. An Act To establish a code of law for the District of Columbia, approved March 3, 1901 (31 Stat. 1391; D.C. Official Code § 46-401 passim), is amended as follows:

(a) Section 1285(4) (D.C. Official Code § 46-403(4)) is amended by striking the phrase "16 years" and inserting the phrase "18 years" in its place.

(b) Section 1291 (D.C. Official Code § 46-410) is amended by striking the phrase "marry, and if they are underage the names of their parents or guardians," and inserting the phrase "marry," in its place.

(c) Section 1292 (D.C. Official Code § 46-411) is amended to read as follows:

"Sec. 1292. Persons under 18 years of age.

"If any person intending to marry and seeking a license therefore shall be under 18 years of age, the Clerk shall not issue such license.".

Sec. 4. Fiscal impact statement.

The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a).

Sec. 5. Effective date.

This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto) and a 30-day period of congressional review as provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)).