The bill seeks to amend Ohio's marriage laws by raising the legal age for marriage to eighteen, effectively repealing the previous allowance for seventeen-year-olds to marry. This is accomplished through the deletion of language that permitted juvenile courts to hear applications for consent to marry, thereby eliminating the legal framework that supported minor marriages. The amendments also clarify the jurisdiction of juvenile courts and the rights of parties in custody and support proceedings, reinforcing the intent to protect minors from early marriage.

Additionally, the bill modifies the marriage license application process by removing the requirement for seventeen-year-old applicants to provide proof of satisfactory marriage counseling. Instead, it allows the court to collect and retain each party's social security number in a separate record, ensuring that these numbers are not displayed on the marriage licenses. The bill also clarifies that individuals granted consent to marry under the former law will be treated as if they are eighteen or older for legal purposes, although they will not be recognized as qualified electors. Overall, these changes aim to streamline the marriage application process while maintaining essential legal protections.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 2151.23, 2151.233, 2151.352, 3101.01, 3101.05, 3109.011, 3101.02, 3101.04, 3101.041, 3101.042