HB 729 Hawaii House · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO MARRIAGE OF MINORS.

Summary

Raises the minimum age to enter into marriage from sixteen to eighteen years of age. Repeals the authority of parents and the family court to consent to a minor's marriage. Repeals spousal cohabitation after the parties attain legal age as an exception for an annulment based on nonage. Repeals exemptions for sexual assault of a minor if the perpetrator is married to the minor. Makes conforming amendments. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Issues: ✓ Criminal Justice

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

House Passage

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 17, 2025 Last action Mar 6, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB729_HD1 → HB729_HD2 · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill raises the minimum legal age for marriage in Hawaii from sixteen to eighteen years old and removes the ability for parents or family courts to consent to a minor's marriage. It also eliminates spousal cohabitation exceptions for annulment cases and removes exemptions for sexual assault charges when the perpetrator is married to a minor victim.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of marriage restrictions to apply to all minors under eighteen, removing previous exceptions that allowed sixteen-year-olds to marry with parental or court consent.

ELIGIBILITY

Raised the minimum age for marriage from sixteen to eighteen years old, eliminating the ability for sixteen-year-olds to marry even with parental or court consent.

Removed the authority of parents and family courts to consent to a minor's marriage, which previously allowed minors under eighteen to marry with approval.

ENFORCEMENT

Eliminated exemptions for sexual assault charges when the perpetrator is married to a minor victim, closing a legal loophole that previously prevented prosecution in such cases.

Removed the spousal cohabitation exception for annulment cases, meaning marriages can no longer be annulled just because parties lived together after reaching legal age.

DEFINITION

Updated definitions of guardianship and parental rights to align with the new marriage age requirements and remove marriage-related consent provisions.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the House by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 6, 2025

Committee

Referred to HHS, JDC.

upper

Mar 6, 2025

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 274).

upper

Mar 4, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with Representative(s) Alcos voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Kong, Muraoka voting no (3) and Representative(s) Pierick, Ward excused (2). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Feb 19, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 10 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Belatti, Hashem, Kahaloa, Perruso, Takayama, Todd, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Garcia; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran.

lower

Feb 11, 2025

Committee

Reported from HLT (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 325) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.

lower

Feb 5, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on HLT recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Takayama, Keohokapu-Lee Loy, Amato, Chun, Marten, Olds, Takenouchi, Alcos; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Garcia.

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to HLT, JHA, referral sheet 2

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

27 primary · 0 co-sponsors