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House State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs

Monday, April 6, 2026·2h 20m·▶ Watch / Listen

The committee narrowly advanced a scaled-back child-marriage bill after emotional survivor testimony, with the 6-5 split crossing party lines over whether an eleventh-hour amendment gutted the measure. It then killed a charitable-gaming constitutional resolution, postponing it indefinitely even after adopting three amendments.

Key Actions

·Remove Exception to Marry with Judicial ApprovalPassed

+ 1 more action

Notable Quotes

The proposed amendment would keep the marriage age at 16, not protecting girls. Instead, all it would do was limit the spousal age difference to 10 years. 10 years. Who wrote this amendment? Jeffrey Epstein.

Frady Reese (Unchained At Last) · witnessA forced-marriage survivor and advocate captured the survivor bloc's fury that the amendment left 16- and 17-year-olds exposed while most minor marriages already fall within a 10-year gap.

+ 5 more quotes

Votes

Referred to Committee on AppropriationsAction
Yes (6)Michael Carter, Lisa Feret, Kenny Nguyen, Naquetta Ricks, Chad Clifford, Jenny Willford
No (5)Scott Bottoms, Brandi Bradley, Cecelia Espenoza, Meg Froelich, Stephanie Luck
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TranscriptPreview
Good to go. The State Civic, Military, and Veterans Affairs Committee will come to order. Ms. King, please call the roll representatives. Bottoms. Here. Bradley. Here. Carter. Espinosa. Here. Gray. Here. Froelich. Here. Locke. Surprised to be here so early, but present when excused. Ricks. Excused. Clifford. Here. Madam Chair. Here. We have two bills on the calendar from or for today's hearing. Senate Bill 48 and House Concurrent Resolution 10 01. I do want to acknowledge that there is written testimony in your box on the first bill, and we are missing our bill sponsors. Excellent. Wonderful. Okay, But he's the second bill up, but. Yeah. Can somebody pop out and see if our bill sponsors are in the hallway, please? Thanks. I think so. I had pants that match, and my husband told me that it looked like I was wearing pajamas, so I'm gonna wear the coat today. There's. There's still time for the pants. Welcome, bill sponsors. We are completely ready for you. Who would like to begin? Representative Joseph. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you. Members of the committee, It's a pleasure to be here before you to present Senate Bill 48. I am grateful
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