The Utah Legislature has unanimously approved a bill, SB76, aimed at preventing youth marriages if the parties are more than four years apart in age. The bill comes in response to allegations of forced marriages of minors to older relatives within the Kingston polygamous group, as detailed in a recent lawsuit.
Former members of the Kingston Clan, such as Lu Ann Cooper, who became a wife at the age of 15, are hopeful that SB76 will help prevent such situations in the future. The bill would prohibit juvenile courts from authorizing marriages of minors with a significant age difference and would require a 72-hour waiting period for reconsideration. While not specifically targeting polygamy, the bill aims to address coercive underage marriages, particularly within isolated religious communities.
The Legislature has previously attempted to address the issue of underage marriages, with a 2019 law focused on outlawing marriages of 15-year-olds and requiring parental consent for those under 18. However, the number of youth marriages in Utah has continued to rise. SB76 is seen as a step towards providing guardrails for minors in harmful relationships or constrained religious communities.
Former Senate Minority Leader Scott Howell, who lobbied for the bill, highlighted the prevalence of human trafficking within polygamous communities in Utah. The bill, along with other measures passed by the Legislature, aims to combat practices such as underage polygamous marriages and enhance penalties for human trafficking. The passage of SB76 represents a significant shift in marriage policy in the state of Utah, aimed at protecting minors and preventing coerced unions.
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