Post by Atticus Pizzaballa on Apr 6, 2022 19:16:51 GMT -5
Is this pro-pedophile! Is Qanon Base involved Another attempt to do away with marriage equality
Tennessee bill would eliminate age requirements for marriages
Some worry the bill, which would establish common law marriages in the state between “one man and one woman,” endanger marriage equality in Tennessee.
By Brooke Migdon | April 5, 2022
Story at a glance
Lawmakers in Tennessee this week will vote on a bill that would establish common law marriages in the state but would not set a minimum age requirement. Some say it could open the door for child sex abuse.
LGBTQ+ advocates have said the bill could also pose a threat to marriage equality in the state by only including unions between “one man and one woman.”
The bill will be heard in the House Civil Justice Committee on Wednesday.
Tennessee lawmakers this week will vote on a bill seeking to establish common law marriages in the state between “one man and one woman.” Some worry the bill, which does not set an explicit age limit, would effectively legalize all-age marriages, while others have said they are concerned the bill would undermine the landmark Supreme Court ruling which legalized same-sex marriage.
The bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Tom Leatherwood (R), has argued that the bill would merely create a new marriage option for Tennessee residents.
“All this bill does is give an alternative form of marriage for those pastors and other individuals who have a conscientious objection to the current pathway to marriage in our law,” Leatherwood told his colleagues while debating the legislation, ABC-affiliate WKRN reported.
But Leatherwood did concede that the bill does not set a specific age requirement for marriage, according to WKRN. Under current Tennessee law, a person as young as 17 years old may be married with parental consent.
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Nearly 300,000 children were married in the U.S. between 2000 and 2018, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), which defines a child marriage as any marriage where at least one party is under 18 years old.
In the absence of federal law setting a minimum age for marriage, several states have outlawed child marriage, but the practice is still technically legal in 44 states, including Tennessee.
Leatherwood’s bill would also shield local officials like county clerks from legal action stemming from their decision to either issue or deny a marriage license.
Advocates for the LGBTQ+ community have said the bill could also endanger marriage equality in Tennessee because it only includes unions between “one man and one woman.” The Supreme Court in 2015 legalized same-sex marriage in all 50 states, though some state Constitutions still define marriage only as a union between a man and a woman.
If the Tennessee bill were passed, it would “surely” lead to 14th Amendment court challenges, the Tennessee Equality Project, which advocates for the equal rights of LGBTQ+ people in the state, has said.
thehill.com/changing-america/respect/equality/3259843-tennessee-bill-would-eliminate-age-requirements-for-marriages/
A Tennessee bill to exclude same-sex couples from a proposed legal marriage contract process sparked widespread backlash after sponsors initially failed to include a minimum age limit in the legislation, though sponsors have submitted amendments to address the issue.
Widespread public outcry spread Tuesday over child welfare concerns, as critics said a pathway to marriage without minimum age limits relaxes guardrails to protect minors from predatory behavior and abuse.
The bill would create an alternate pathway to marriage, allowing opposite-sex couples to file marriage "contracts," based on common law principles that have not yet been legally recognized in Tennessee. The contracts would not be available to same-sex couples.
Sponsors of the legislation have now added amendments specifying a man and woman seeking the contract must have "attained the age of majority," which is 18 in Tennessee.
The Senate version of the bill has advanced to a full vote slated for Thursday. A House committee on Wednesday rolled the bill to next week after bill sponsor Rep. Tom Leatherwood, R-Arlington, faced harsh questions on the bill.
Leatherwood maintained Wednesday he had no intentions of opening up the contract process to minors and the age limit amendment would only strengthen the bill.
"This one took a sideways turn on the folks that submitted the bill in a way I don't think they anticipated,” said Regina Lambert Hillman, a University of Memphis law professor.
The proposed legislation would not eliminate or overwrite Tennessee’s marital age limits. Current Tennessee law sets a minimum marriage age at 17, and prohibits a 17-year-old from marrying someone who is four or more years older.
More:Gov. Bill Haslam signs law banning Tennessee marriage of minors under 17
Bill is backlash to marriage equality, opponents say
Hillman worked on the 2015 legal team for the Obergefell v. Hodges case, the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision that codified nationwide marriage equality. A Tennessee case, Tanco v. Haslam, was consolidated into Obergefell case.
www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2022/04/06/tennessee-marriage-bill-no-age-limit-sparks-backlash-over-child-bride-concerns/9479778002/
Tennessee bill would eliminate age requirements for marriages
Some worry the bill, which would establish common law marriages in the state between “one man and one woman,” endanger marriage equality in Tennessee.
By Brooke Migdon | April 5, 2022
Story at a glance
Lawmakers in Tennessee this week will vote on a bill that would establish common law marriages in the state but would not set a minimum age requirement. Some say it could open the door for child sex abuse.
LGBTQ+ advocates have said the bill could also pose a threat to marriage equality in the state by only including unions between “one man and one woman.”
The bill will be heard in the House Civil Justice Committee on Wednesday.
Tennessee lawmakers this week will vote on a bill seeking to establish common law marriages in the state between “one man and one woman.” Some worry the bill, which does not set an explicit age limit, would effectively legalize all-age marriages, while others have said they are concerned the bill would undermine the landmark Supreme Court ruling which legalized same-sex marriage.
The bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Tom Leatherwood (R), has argued that the bill would merely create a new marriage option for Tennessee residents.
“All this bill does is give an alternative form of marriage for those pastors and other individuals who have a conscientious objection to the current pathway to marriage in our law,” Leatherwood told his colleagues while debating the legislation, ABC-affiliate WKRN reported.
But Leatherwood did concede that the bill does not set a specific age requirement for marriage, according to WKRN. Under current Tennessee law, a person as young as 17 years old may be married with parental consent.
America is changing faster than ever! Add Changing America to your Facebook or Twitter feed to stay on top of the news.
Nearly 300,000 children were married in the U.S. between 2000 and 2018, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), which defines a child marriage as any marriage where at least one party is under 18 years old.
In the absence of federal law setting a minimum age for marriage, several states have outlawed child marriage, but the practice is still technically legal in 44 states, including Tennessee.
Leatherwood’s bill would also shield local officials like county clerks from legal action stemming from their decision to either issue or deny a marriage license.
Advocates for the LGBTQ+ community have said the bill could also endanger marriage equality in Tennessee because it only includes unions between “one man and one woman.” The Supreme Court in 2015 legalized same-sex marriage in all 50 states, though some state Constitutions still define marriage only as a union between a man and a woman.
If the Tennessee bill were passed, it would “surely” lead to 14th Amendment court challenges, the Tennessee Equality Project, which advocates for the equal rights of LGBTQ+ people in the state, has said.
thehill.com/changing-america/respect/equality/3259843-tennessee-bill-would-eliminate-age-requirements-for-marriages/
Tennessee legislator files amendment to anti-LGBT marriage bill amid age limit backlash
A Tennessee bill to exclude same-sex couples from a proposed legal marriage contract process sparked widespread backlash after sponsors initially failed to include a minimum age limit in the legislation, though sponsors have submitted amendments to address the issue.
Widespread public outcry spread Tuesday over child welfare concerns, as critics said a pathway to marriage without minimum age limits relaxes guardrails to protect minors from predatory behavior and abuse.
The bill would create an alternate pathway to marriage, allowing opposite-sex couples to file marriage "contracts," based on common law principles that have not yet been legally recognized in Tennessee. The contracts would not be available to same-sex couples.
Sponsors of the legislation have now added amendments specifying a man and woman seeking the contract must have "attained the age of majority," which is 18 in Tennessee.
The Senate version of the bill has advanced to a full vote slated for Thursday. A House committee on Wednesday rolled the bill to next week after bill sponsor Rep. Tom Leatherwood, R-Arlington, faced harsh questions on the bill.
Leatherwood maintained Wednesday he had no intentions of opening up the contract process to minors and the age limit amendment would only strengthen the bill.
"This one took a sideways turn on the folks that submitted the bill in a way I don't think they anticipated,” said Regina Lambert Hillman, a University of Memphis law professor.
The proposed legislation would not eliminate or overwrite Tennessee’s marital age limits. Current Tennessee law sets a minimum marriage age at 17, and prohibits a 17-year-old from marrying someone who is four or more years older.
More:Gov. Bill Haslam signs law banning Tennessee marriage of minors under 17
Bill is backlash to marriage equality, opponents say
Hillman worked on the 2015 legal team for the Obergefell v. Hodges case, the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision that codified nationwide marriage equality. A Tennessee case, Tanco v. Haslam, was consolidated into Obergefell case.
www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2022/04/06/tennessee-marriage-bill-no-age-limit-sparks-backlash-over-child-bride-concerns/9479778002/