HB 168 Texas House · 89th Legislature (2025)

Relating to the age at which a person in this state may marry and to certain rights of a party to a void marriage entered into when the party was a minor.

HB 168 prohibits marriage for anyone under 18 in Texas, eliminating the previous exception that allowed minors to marry with a court order removing the disabilities of minority. The bill amends the Texas Family Code to require county clerks to deny marriage licenses to minors and declare any marriage entered into by a minor void. This change applies to all marriage applications filed and marriages entered into on or after September 1, 2025. The bill directly affects minors under 18 and their families by ending the ability to marry with court approval under prior law.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

May 2025

House Passage

May 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 27, 2025 Last action May 14, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → Engrossed · 5 edits · May 14, 2025

MODERATE

This bill amends Texas Family Code provisions regarding marriage age requirements and void marriages. It clarifies that marriages involving minors (under 18) are void unless specific court orders removing disabilities of minority are obtained, while adding protections for property division and spousal maintenance for those in void marriages entered into while minors. The bill also repeals an outdated section and establishes retroactive application rules for existing applications and marriages.

Scope change

The bill maintains the core age requirement of 18 for marriage but clarifies exceptions and adds protections for minors in void marriages, expanding the scope to include property and maintenance rights for minors in void marriages.

ELIGIBILITY

Clarified that county clerks cannot issue marriage licenses to applicants under 18 without court orders removing disabilities of minority

Added protections allowing minors in void marriages to seek property division and spousal maintenance similar to divorce proceedings

REQUIREMENT

Repealed Section 2.003 of the Family Code which was previously in effect

TIMELINE

Established that new marriage age provisions apply to applications filed on or after the effective date, while preserving prior law for earlier applications and marriages

DEFINITION

Added specific language regarding court orders from other states removing disabilities of minority for nonresident minors

Floor votes · House May 14, 2025

How they voted

86–48

Passed · 11 other

Total votes 145

May 14, 2025

D Democratic60

54 Yea 2 Nay 4

90% Yea

R Republican85

32 Yea 46 Nay 7

54% Nay

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 14, 2025

Introduced

Received from the House

upper

May 14, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed

lower

May 13, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed to engrossment as amended

lower

May 13, 2025

Lower · Passed

Amended

lower

May 7, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee report sent to Calendars

lower

May 6, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee report distributed

lower

Apr 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)

lower

Apr 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

Recalled from subcommittee

lower

Apr 7, 2025

Lower · Passed

Left pending in subcommittee

lower

Apr 7, 2025

Lower · Passed

Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in subcommittee

lower

Feb 27, 2025

Committee

Referred to s/c on Family & Fiduciary Relationships by Speaker

lower

Feb 27, 2025

Introduced

Read first time

lower

3 primary · 34 co-sponsors