NC Legislators Near Final OK To Raise Minimum Marriage Age

An effort to raise the minimum age to get married in North Carolina from 14 to 16 is nearing final legislative approval. The House voted unanimously on Wednesday for the measure, which also would require a 16- or 17-year-old to obtain formal legal permission to marry. The spouses of these youths could be no more than four years older than them. The Senate already passed a similar version of the bill in May but it needs to take one more vote before the legislation can go to Gov. Roy Cooper's desk. Bill sponsors initially sought to raise the minimum age to 18.