A bill proposal making its way in the Tennessee legislature seems to leave out any age requirements for marriage between a man and a woman.
The bill seems to focus on creating “Record of Marital Contract at Common Law,” establishing common law marriage as “between one man and one woman,” and protecting clerks and local officials from legal action.
But missing from the bill are age requirements, acknowledged by the sponsor of the bill, Tom Leatherwood (R-Arlington). Leatherwood says the law being considered would add a new marriage option for Tennesseans.
“There is not an explicit age limit,” Leatherwood said during a Children and Family Affairs subcommittee meeting.
Nashville Rep. Mike Stewart, a Democrat who also sits on the subcommittee, said he didn’t understand the motivation.
“It should not be there as it’s basically a get out of jail free card for people who are basically committing statutory rape — I mean it’s completely ridiculous, so that’s another reason why this terrible bill should be eliminated,” Stewart says.
Under current Tennessee law, you can marry as young as 17 with parental consent.