H.B. No. 168 amends the Texas Family Code to establish stricter regulations regarding the issuance of marriage licenses to individuals under 18 years of age. The bill specifies that a county clerk may not issue a marriage license if either applicant is under 18, regardless of whether they have obtained a court order removing the disabilities of minority. This change is reflected in the amendments to Sections 2.009(a) and 2.101, which eliminate the previous provisions that allowed for exceptions based on court orders. Additionally, Section 6.205 is amended to declare that any marriage involving a party younger than 18 is void, again without exceptions for court orders.

Furthermore, the bill introduces a new provision allowing parties to a void marriage, who were minors at the time of the marriage, to seek division of property and spousal maintenance as if they were involved in a dissolution of marriage. This is a significant change that provides legal recourse for minors in such situations. The bill also repeals Section 2.003 of the Family Code and establishes that the new regulations will apply only to marriage license applications and marriages entered into on or after the effective date of September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Family Code 2.009, Family Code 2.101, Family Code 6.205, Family Code 2.003 (Family Code 2, Family Code 6)
House Committee Report: Family Code 2.009, Family Code 2.101, Family Code 6.205, Family Code 2.003 (Family Code 2, Family Code 6)
Engrossed: Family Code 2.009, Family Code 2.101, Family Code 6.205, Family Code 2.003 (Family Code 2, Family Code 6)