Mistake in Arkansas Law Allows Any Age to Marry if Parents Agree

[WifeOHunkyJohn 2]

Mistake in Arkansas Law Allows Any Age to Marry if Parents Agree

Friday, August 17, 2007

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A law passed this year allows Arkansans of any age -- even infants -- to marry if their parents agree, and the governor may have to call a special session to fix the mistake, lawmakers said Friday.

The legislation was intended to establish 18 as the minimum age to marry but also allow pregnant teenagers to marry with parental consent, bill sponsor Rep. Will Bond said. An extraneous "not" in the bill, however, allows anyone who is not pregnant to marry at any age if the parents allow it.

"It's clearly not the intent to allow 10-year-olds or 11-year-olds to get married," Bond said. "The legislation was screwed up."

The bill reads: "In order for a person who is younger than eighteen (18) years of age and who is not pregnant to obtain a marriage license, the person must provide the county clerk with evidence of parental consent to the marriage."

A code revision commission -- which fixes typographical and technical errors in laws -- had tried to correct the mistake, but a group of legislators said Friday the commission went beyond its powers.

"You're either pregnant or you're not pregnant," Sen. Dave Bisbee said. "Rarely will that be a typographical error."

The Arkansas Legislative Council asked the independent commission to reverse its correction. Several lawmakers said a special session may be necessary.

"We need a special session to fix this," Sen. Sue Madison said. "I am concerned about pedophiles coming to Arkansas to find parents who are willing to sign a very young child's consent."

Before the new law took effect July 31, girls could get married with parental consent at 16 and boys at 17.

The Legislature formally adjourned its session in May and is not scheduled to meet again until January 2009, unless Gov. Mike Beebe calls a special session.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Mistake...?

YEEEE-HAAAWWWW!!!

[mawilson 2,133]

"We will marry anything to anything else!"

I hereby pronounce you Man and Goat:

[almaty 19]

Mistake...?

YEEEE-HAAAWWWW!!!

at least, they are still outlawing marriages to farm animals....

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Mistake...?

YEEEE-HAAAWWWW!!!

at least, they are still outlawing marriages to farm animals....

In other news - kiddie fiddlers rush to Arkansas

[isleta521 5]

Keeping it in the family

what was that movie called? going down that river?

Edited August 17, 2007 by isleta521

[mendeleev 69]

at least, they are still outlawing marriages to farm animals....

Are you sure?

[almaty 19]

yeap, i checked, got this cute burro..nevermind

[Saddle Bronc 124]

I guess the Shikar Camel Fair can now be moved to Little Rock (due to a "tradition" commonly done there, marriage of considerable numbers of children; ironically Shikar was the constituency of Harvikas Sharada--who promulgated the "Sharada Act" aka "Child Marriage Resistant Act" in 1929; hey, easier to practice a tradition if it's legal, right).

(note: the sarky tone was not unintentional)

Edited August 18, 2007 by CherryXS

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Correction note: I put "Shikar" by mistake for "Pushkar", as I had not had my morning caffeine yet.