We have some great news for youth ministers, high school gym teachers and R. Kelly. Your right to marry a teenager in Oklahoma is being protected by your allies in the Oklahoma legislature!
Via The Oklahoman:
The Oklahoma House on Monday scrapped legislation to limit minors from getting married.
Previous research shows Oklahoma has one of the highest rates of teen marriages.
In Oklahoma, teenagers ages 16 and older can get married with consent from a parent or legal guardian or consent from a court. Those younger than 16 can only get married if a court approves.
But legislation from Rep. Jason Dunnington, D-Oklahoma City, would have prohibited minors under age 16 from getting married. Under House Bill 3873, minors ages 16 and 17 seeking to get married would first have to get emancipated, which would have to be approved by a court.
Hmmn. I don't know about this. It may sound like logical legislation, but how will it impact Oklahoma's booming teen pregnancy industry? We've been a Top 10 state in that market category for generations! Plus, is teenage marriage really that big issue of an issue in this state? Is it something the government should really be worrying about?
Here's how Jason Dunnington – the leader of the House's Moderate Republicans posing as a Democrats Caucus – explained his reasoning for the bill: