FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 19th, 2025
SIOUX FALLS -- For a second year in a row, Republican lawmakers in Pierre failed to end child marriage in our state.Â
Senate Bill 156 would have removed the section in our law that allows 16 and 17-year-olds to marry if they have the approval of a parent. This was a bipartisan bill to protect children, especially girls who are victimized through trafficking.
Instead, Senate Republicans said this was about criminalizing marriage. Sen. John Carley said this will mean South Dakota will condone "hooking up". Sen. Mykala Voita said she has several family members who were under 18 when they married. Sen. Tom Pischke said that marriage helps young men "mature and become fathers".
This bill was not an attack on marriage, this was about protecting our most vulnerable populations from predators. But once again, Republicans failed to protect South Dakota children.Â
"I am deeply disappointed in the South Dakota Senate’s decision to kill SB 156, a bill that would have raised the minimum age of marriage to 18," said Minority Whip Rep. Kadyn Wittman, a co-sponsor of the bill. "Child marriage is not a tradition to be upheld—it is a legal loophole that puts vulnerable young people at risk. By refusing to pass this legislation, our state has once again failed to protect children from coercion, abuse, and the lifelong consequences of being forced into adult responsibilities too soon. We owe it to our youth to ensure they have the opportunity to grow, learn, and make choices about their futures without undue pressure or harm. This fight is far from over—I will continue to advocate for stronger protections for South Dakota’s children."
For questions, you can contact the SDDP Executive Director Dan Ahlers at dan@sddp.org or contact the state party office by phone at 605-271-5405 or 605-940-3071.
Paid for by the South Dakota Democratic Party | www.sddp.org