South Dakota House Republicans show support for child marriage by killing bipartisan bill in GOP-dominated panel
State Rep. Kadyn Wittman said she is appalled by some of the comments she heard from Republican legislators supporting child marriage.
On Monday, a House panel rejected a bipartisan bill to raise the minimum age to marry to 18. Rep. Wittman, a Sioux Falls Democrat, thanked the Republicans and Democrats who signed onto her legislation and spoke in support of it.
According to the South Dakota Department of Health’s Vital Records Office, 838 minors got married in the state between 2000 and 2020, and 81% of those marriages were young girls who wed adult men.
“The statistics speak volumes,” Wittman (seen testifying above in a photo from SDDP.org) told the committee. “This bill is brought because I was genuinely shocked to discover it is still on our books that 16-year-olds can get married in our state. Trying to eliminate or mitigate sexual exploitation of children is just a benefit to this specific piece of legislation.”Opponents noted the age of consent for sex in South Dakota is 16. That’s one reason to allow teens to marry, said Norman Woods of South Dakota Family Voice Action.
“So if you raise the marriage age to 18, you as a state would be saying, ‘You can hook up, but you can’t get married,’ and again, we would caution against that,” he said.
State Reps. Will Mortenson, Rebecca Reimer, Jon Hansen and Gary Cammack, all Republicans, made several comments about why child marriage is “good.”
They cited pregnancy and terminal illness as reasons for children to get married. They also said the guardrails of parental rights is enough to allow child marriage.
Cammack said his wife was 17 when they married and their union has lasted 52 years.
“With the existing guardrails that are in place right now, I believe that — I don’t believe that this should cover all situations,” he said.
“Some of the comments made by committee members during today’s hearing to end #Child Marriage turned my stomach,” Wittman said on X. “Let me be clear; 16-year-olds are CHILDREN who should not be getting married and it is our job as state legislators to put guardrails in place to protect our kids.”
The South Dakota Democratic Party issued a release supporting the bill.
“While there may be exceptional cases where individuals under 18 may wish to marry, it is essential to prioritize the overall well-being and best interests of minors,” it stated. “In cases of pregnancy or other extenuating circumstances, the default should be to protect minors from the potential harms associated with early marriage. Additionally, resources should be provided to support young couples facing challenges related to pregnancy without resorting to early marriage as the solution.
“Another argument that was utilized by opponents is that marriage is a good thing and should be pursued in order to maintain the nuclear family. Not only is this a short-sighted opinion on underage marriage, it is also insulting to families who do not fit into the ‘traditional’ family structure.”
Wittman vowed to continue to introduce such a bill until the law is changed.
“As someone who has tirelessly championed the protection of South Dakota’s children, I am deeply disappointed with the committee’s decision to uphold child marriage,” she said. “Every child deserves the opportunity to grow, learn and thrive without the burden of early matrimony. Raising the age of marriage to 18 is not just a matter of policy, it is a fundamental step in safeguarding the well-being and future of South Dakota’s kids. 16-year-olds are children who should not be getting married and it is our job as legislators to put guardrails in place to protect our kids.”
Tom Lawrence has written for several newspapers and websites in South Dakota and other states and contributed to The New York Times, NPR, The Telegraph, The Daily Beast and other media outlets.
