HB 34-FN - AS INTRODUCED
2023 SESSION
23-0095
06/08
HOUSE BILL 34-FN
AN ACT relative to raising the age of marriage to eighteen.
SPONSORS: Rep. Levesque, Straff. 4; Rep. Petrigno, Hills. 43; Rep. Sofikitis, Hills. 7; Rep. Rung, Hills. 12; Rep. Meuse, Rock. 37; Rep. Rombeau, Hills. 2; Rep. Toll, Ches. 15; Rep. Read, Rock. 10; Rep. N. Murphy, Hills. 12; Sen. Watters, Dist. 4; Sen. Altschiller, Dist. 24
COMMITTEE: Children and Family Law
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ANALYSIS
This bill changes the marriageable age in the state from 16 to 18.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
23-0095
06/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Three
AN ACT relative to raising the age of marriage to eighteen.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Marriageable. Amend RSA 457:4 to read as follows:
457:4 Marriageable. No person below the age of [16] 18 years shall be capable of contracting a valid marriage, and all marriages contracted by such persons shall be null and void.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
23-0095
10/7/22
HB 34-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
AN ACT relative to raising the age of marriage to eighteen.
FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ ] County [ X ] Local [ ] None
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| Estimated Increase / (Decrease) | |||
STATE: | FY 2023 | FY 2024 | FY 2025 | FY 2026 |
Appropriation | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Revenue | $0 | Indeterminable Decrease | Indeterminable Decrease | Indeterminable Decrease |
Expenditures | $0 | $50,000 | $0 | $0 |
Funding Source: | [ X ] General [ ] Education [ ] Highway [ X ] Other - Fund for Domestic Violence Grant Program (RSA 173-B:15) | |||
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LOCAL: |
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Revenue | $0 | Indeterminable Decrease | Indeterminable Decrease | Indeterminable Decrease |
Expenditures | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
METHODOLOGY:
This bill changes the marriageable age in New Hampshire from 16 to 18. The Department of State indicates this change would require an update to the vital records software at an estimated cost of $50,000. There would be an indeterminable impact on in revenue to cities, towns and the Domestic Violence Grant Program. In accordance with RSA 457:29, for each marriage license issued, $7 is retained locally and $43 is deposited into the fund for the Domestic Violence Grant Program. The Department reports the number of marriages where one party is under 18 varies year to year. Since 1989 this range has been between 0 and 115 marriages.
The Judicial Branch indicates although there could be an increase in the number of marriage petitions filed for persons below the age of consent, the Branch assumes the change would not have an appreciable fiscal impact on the Branch.
It is assumed that any fiscal impact would occur after FY 2023.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of State and Judicial Branch