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Newsom Signs Law Banning Child Marriage Starting 2027

By Drooid · Oct 6, 2026, 1:07 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Governor Gavin Newsom signed a law banning child marriage, effective Jan 1 2027.
The law sets an absolute minimum marriage age of 18 with no exceptions.
Assemblymember Gail Pellerin authored AB 1267, co-authored by 38 legislators.
California becomes the 18th state to ban child marriage, joining 17 others in 2018.
About 35,000 minors were married in California from 2000-2021, roughly 9,000 girls each year.

History

Historical Context

In 2015, the United Nations adopted Sustainable Development Goal 5.3, pledging to eliminate child marriage worldwide by 2030 as part of a broader human-rights agenda. UNICEF reported that roughly 12 million girls were married annually, representing 23 percent of all child marriages, prompting global advocacy campaigns by NGOs worldwide. California’s 2027 ban, championed by Governor Gavin Newsom and Assemblymember Gail Pellerin’s AB 1267, mirrors that international pledge by setting an absolute 18-year minimum. As the 18th state to prohibit child marriage, California’s measure may spur additional states to follow, curbing the 35,000 minor unions recorded from 2000-2021.

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Story summary

Governor Gavin Newsom signed a law banning child marriage, effective Jan 1 2027.
The law sets an absolute minimum marriage age of 18 with no exceptions.
Assemblymember Gail Pellerin authored AB 1267, co-authored by 38 legislators.
California becomes the 18th state to ban child marriage, joining 17 others in 2018.
About 35,000 minors were married in California from 2000-2021, roughly 9,000 girls each year.

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