This bill amends Iowa's marriage laws to establish that any party who meets the requirements for a valid marriage is eligible to marry any other such party, regardless of gender. The existing language that limited valid marriages to only male and female couples has been removed, and new provisions have been added to ensure that marriages between two eligible parties are recognized. Additionally, the bill maintains the age requirement for marriage, stipulating that both parties must be at least eighteen years old, with provisions for underage marriages under certain conditions, including parental consent and judicial approval.

Furthermore, the bill updates the definitions of void marriages to be gender-neutral, replacing specific references to "man" and "woman" with terms like "party" and "spouse." It also codifies that marriage is the legally recognized union of two eligible parties and clarifies that terms related to marital and familial relationships should be interpreted consistently with this definition across all legal contexts. Overall, the bill aims to modernize Iowa's marriage laws to be more inclusive and reflective of current societal norms.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 595.2, 595.19