Marriage; Child Protection Act of 2024; exception; effective date.

HB 1997, titled the "Child Protection Act of 2024," modifies Oklahoma's marriage laws to restrict minors' ability to marry. It requires additional parental or court consent for anyone under 18 to obtain a marriage license, including written consent from parents (with specific authentication rules), medical certificates for absent parents, or court approval in cases of parental death/incompetence. The bill explicitly prohibits parents in the custody of Oklahoma's Department of Human Services or Juvenile Justice from consenting to their minor child's marriage. It maintains an exception allowing marriage at 16 for pregnancy or paternity cases, but only with parental or guardian presence and court oversight. The law takes effect November 1, 2025.