Today’s Solutions: February 13, 2025

Just over a week ago, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation that officially raises the legal age of marriage consent to 18 and makes New York the sixth state to ban child marriage.

“This administration fought hard to successfully end child marriage in New York and I’m proud to sign this legislation to strengthen our laws and further protect vulnerable children from exploitation,” says Cuomo.

This legislation comes four years after Cuomo signed a law claiming to “end child marriage,” which raised the age of consent to marry from 14 to 18 but still allowed for 17-year-olds to be married with parental and judicial consent.

This could permit parents to force minors to marry and claim it to be consensual. Sex between an adult and a minor is a crime, but marriage would make it legal. This new law removes the exception for 17-year-olds to marry.

New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, and Rhode Island have also put laws into effect that completely ban minors from marrying, however, most states still allow youth under the age of 18 to marry. Hopefully more, if not all, states will follow suit sooner rather than later. In the words of Cuomo, “Children should be allowed to live their childhood.”

Solutions News Source Print this article
More of Today's Solutions

America’s first car-free neighborhood is proving walkability works

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In a country where the car is king, a bold car-free community in Arizona is challenging the status ...

Read More

Sniff, snuggle, snooze: Your lover’s scent may be the key to better sleep

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! To celebrate this day of love, we’re bringing back this fascinating ...

Read More

4 simple ways to feel at your absolute best this summer

The sunshine of summer is enough to make you feel better than you usually do throughout the year. But with a few changes to ...

Read More

Here’s how to stop letting fear of failure hold you back

Failure in any of its forms, professional or personal, can discourage us from embarking on new endeavors. Here are five strategies to overcome the ...

Read More