A New Hampshire Democrat who has spent years campaigning to ban child marriage in the state has condemned lawmakers who voted to amend the law to allow 17-year-olds to marry if they or their partner are in the military.
State Representative Cassandra Levesque told Newsweek the amendment recently passed by the GOP-controlled New Hampshire House of Representatives was done “without facts, without evidence of need, and no proof of any child” asking for such an exception.
Newsweek has contacted the New Hampshire Democratic Party and the New Hampshire Republican Party for comment via email.
Why It Matters
New Hampshire became the 13th state to outright ban anyone under the age of 18 from getting married, with the law coming into effect on January 1, 2025.
No other state that has banned child marriage has attempted such an amendment for military personnel or their partners.
Joseph Prezioso / AFP/Getty Images
What To Know
The New Hampshire House voted Thursday to approve House Bill 433, which would allow individuals to marry at 17 if either party is on active duty in the military if they have consent from a parent or guardian.
The vote passed 193–178, largely along party lines, with 14 Republicans joining all but one Democrat in voting against the bill. Supporters said the measure would allow minors access to benefits such as military housing, which are otherwise unavailable to unmarried couples.
Levesque was one of those who voted against the amendment. She was just 17 and still in high school when she began campaigning to change New Hampshire’s child marriage laws, which at the time in 2018 allowed girls as young as 13 and boys of 14 to marry with parental and court consent.
Levesque has denounced the attempt to amend the state’s child marriage ban. She said it not only fails to protect children from potentially marrying adults many years older, but also exposes them to “abuse and situations that children are just not prepared to handle.”
The Democrat added the amendment does not consider whether children may be “emotionally or mentally” equipped to care for older military spouses, who may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), loss of limbs, and other physical or mental health conditions that can affect service members.
State Representative Debra DeSimone, one of six GOP lawmakers who sponsored the amendment, said on March 20 that the law change would allow couples and young parents to receive military-provided housing and other benefits.
Representative Dale Girard, the only Democrat who supported House Bill 433, said the amendment would support military families who “may face unique circumstances,” while still largely maintaining the legal marriage age at 18.
Minors are still allowed to marry in a majority of U.S. states. Many permit 16- or 17-year-olds to wed with a parent or guardian’s consent, while others require both parental consent and a judge’s approval. Some states, like New Mexico, allow minors to marry if they are pregnant or already have a child.
Delaware was the first state to ban child marriage in 2018. Others that have followed include Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington.
Former New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu signed the state’s ban into law in June 2024, prohibiting anyone under 18 from obtaining a marriage license.
What People Are Saying
State Representative Cassandra Levesque told Newsweek: “A girl who’s being forced to marry a man in the military should get just as much protection as a girl who’s being forced to marry a civilian.
“Being a military spouse can be incredibly isolating, especially if the couple moves far from home and continues moving repeatedly, as often happens. This can deprive children of their network of family and friends, instead embedding them in the service member’s network, which compounds their vulnerability to abuse and situations that children are just not prepared to handle.
“If we are talking about a child marrying an older service member, we need to consider that children are not emotionally or mentally equipped to handle being caregivers to their military spouses. They are not prepared to deal with PTSD, loss of limbs, and the mental disorders that our military often suffer.”
Levesque also highlighted the increased risk of domestic violence in a child marriage.
“We do not allow exceptions to the drinking, smoking, or driving ages; we set those ages based on when people can safely engage in those activities. We should do the same with marriage.”
Representative Dale Girard told Newsweek: “I voted for HB 433 because it provides a reasonable exception for active-duty military members by allowing 17-year-olds to marry under specific conditions. This bill ensures that the age of consent remains 18, but with a provision for military families who may face unique circumstances. It also includes safeguards like parental consent for nonmilitary 17-year-olds, balancing personal freedoms with necessary protections. Ultimately, this bill supports both the needs of military families and the welfare of minors in New Hampshire.”
Representative Debra DeSimone said in a statement Thursday: “Military members can be moved from one base to another frequently. Leaving a potential spouse and possible children unable to avail themselves of possible base housing could prevent a parent’s ability to assist in raising their child, which could seriously affect children, since children historically do better with both parents in their lives. The military does not provide any benefits to a nonmarried partner. This bill also requires written permission from a parent or guardian.”
What Happens Next
The child marriage amendment will now head to the state Senate for a vote. It is unclear whether it will receive the necessary support to pass New Hampshire’s upper chamber.