Politics
Our political journalists are based in the Maine State House and have deep source networks across the partisan spectrum in communities all over the state. Their coverage aims to cut through major debates and probe how officials make decisions. Read more Politics coverage here.
Gov. Janet Mills is letting a Bangor Democrat’s proposal to prevent people under the age of 18 from getting married become law without her signature.
The Legislature and Mills, a Democrat, agreed in 2023 to raise the minimum marriage age from 16 to 17. A 17-year-old child in Maine has been allowed to marry with the written consent of their parents, guardians or legal custodians, with a probate judge allowed to also give consent in the absence of those people.
Rep. Laura Supica, D-Bangor, put forward this year’s measure that no longer allows 17-year-olds to get marriage licenses. Supica, with support from advocates and adults who testified they were forced into marriages when younger, said allowing children “to enter into marriages just because their parents give their consent is dangerous.”
Mills decided Monday to let the bill become law without her signature at the conclusion of the 10-day window for her to take action on it after the House and Senate approved it. The law will take effect in 90 days. The governor’s office did not immediately respond Tuesday to a request for comment on her decision.
“Too many children are forced into marriages,” Supica said in March, “and while even those over 18 years of age can be forced, the difference is that when they are able to flee, they have greater access to services to help them sufficiently escape an abuser.”
Opposition mostly came from Republicans, with arguments citing freedom of choice. Religious and cultural factors have also arisen during past debates on the issue. Last year, New Hampshire became the 13th state to ban child marriage, as do all other New England states.
Marriages involving children are rare in Maine. State data showed 58 Maine children got married between 2014 and 2018, with four marriages between children. Ten marriages featured age gaps greater than five years, and seven of them were between people born outside the U.S., where cultural norms may differ on child marriage.
The House passed Supica’s bill 93-52 in April before the Senate enacted it in a 19-11 vote. GOP representatives made up the House opposition, while the Senate saw Democratic opposition from Sens. Donna Bailey of Saco and Craig Hickman of Winthrop. Republicans who supported it were Sens. Rick Bennett of Oxford, Dick Bradstreet of Vassalboro, Bruce Bickford of Auburn and Assistant Senate Minority Leader Matt Harrington of Sanford.
