California lawmakers are expected to pass a new law ending child marriage within the state. Currently, California is one of three states that allow children of any age to get married if a parent or guardian signs off. The bill passing through the legislature would end underage marriage with no exceptions. “So many survivors of child marriage have been fighting for over nine years trying to get this bill passed,” said Courtney Stodden, a staunch supporter of the new law. Stodden spearheaded the battle to end underage marriage in California and across the country after her own experience as a child bride. When she was 16, Stodden married 51-year-old actor Doug Hutchison.
“I was living in Washington state, and my manager at the time knew actor Doug Hutchison, who was teaching acting classes in Los Angeles,” Stodden said. “My mom signed me up for the acting classes.” Stodden said she grew closer with Hutchison after six months. They married in 2011 after her mother gave consent. “He gained the trust of my mother,” Stodden said. Advocates of the ban said that there were 35,000 underage marriages from 2000 to 2021, most of whom were girls. They said the ban is critical in protecting children from sexual assault. “California must protect our kids and end child marriage once and for all,” said Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, who authored the bill.
“Notably, the age of sexual consent is 18 without exception, unless that individual is the spouse of the minor.” Thirty-three other states also allow underage marriage, but they have restrictions on the age of the child. The ban is set to reach Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk, who is expected to sign off on it.
Source: Lawmakers expected to pass law ending child marriage in California – CBS Los Angeles
That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Romans 10:9
Man catches record-breaking pumpkinseed sunfish in West Virginia
A West Virginia man caught a record-breaking pumpkinseed sunfish, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources announced. Robert Glover caught a record-breaking pumpkinseed sunfish, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources…
Keep reading
Authorities urge caution after dead bat tests positive for rabies in DeKalb County
Health authorities are asking residents in DeKalb County to watch their pets after a dead bat tested positive for rabies. Authorities say the bat was found in the area around Terry…
Keep reading
Ahead of Minnesota State Fair, Ramsey County sheriff sends 233 warning letters to potential gang members
Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher is putting young people with potential gang connections on notice days before the start of the 2026 Minnesota State Fair. Fletcher tells WCCO he sent 233…
Keep reading
Massachusetts angler recalls battle with 1,260-pound Atlantic blue marlin: “A gift from the fish gods”
It was a battle of will and skill when anglers off the coast of Massachusetts hauled in what is likely a record-breaking Atlantic blue marlin. The fish was so big, the…
Keep reading
God as Your Ever-Present Help
You don’t have to carry this alone, He is your safe place and your help in every moment of need. Bible Verse:God is our Refuge and Strength [mighty and impenetrable to…
Keep reading
Aggressive coyote shot and killed after attacking dog in Cheltenham Township, Pennsylvania, police say
Police in Cheltenham Township, Pennsylvania, say an aggressive coyote has been shot and killed after attacking a dog. In a social media post Friday afternoon, Cheltenham police said they received multiple…
Keep reading
Fast-growing Hawk Fire near Reno, Nevada forces thousands to evacuate
A fast-growing wildfire spread from the Sierra foothills toward the center of Reno early Sunday, as approximately 90,000 residents were urged to evacuate. The fire has been burning across a rugged…
Keep reading
Bat found in Livingston County tests positive for rabies, health officials say
A bat found in Livingston County, Michigan, has tested positive for rabies, the local health department said on Thursday. Officials said the finding marks the first rabies case in an animal…
Keep reading
Colorado wildlife agents remove bear from south Denver neighborhood after it climbed a tree and drew a crowd
Thanks to the drought, bears are showing up places they never have before. It’s a message wildlife experts have been saying for months, and while some Colorado residents might be tired…
Keep reading
Guard Your Heart: Embrace Truth and Peace
Your life is moving in the direction of your heart, whether you realize it or not. What you allow in today will shape who you become tomorrow. Keep your heart with…
Keep reading
The Battle for Your Attention; When distractions keep you from what God has called you to do
Distraction rarely announces itself as an enemy; sometimes it looks like something good, something important, or something we simply cannot live without. The danger is not always that distraction takes us…
Keep reading
Fishermen found alive floating on cooler 150 miles off Mexico 5 days after going missing
Two fishermen who used a cooler to survive at sea for days were found alive and rescued on Wednesday, the Mexican navy said. The fishermen, 53 and 32, last communicated with…
Keep reading
Two people injured in recent bear attacks in Colorado high country
Colorado Parks and Wildlife says two people were recently injured in separate bear attacks in the high country. On Tuesday, a bear reportedly entered a home in Steamboat Springs near Fish…
Keep reading
Colorado firefighters say bear broke into home and started fire
Firefighters in Crested Butte said that a house fire was started by a bear after the animal got inside the private residence. The Crested Butte Fire Protection District posted on its…
Keep reading
Tech Distractions: Reclaim Your Time with God
You can scroll for an hour and still feel empty, because not everything that captures your attention deserves your heart. If something can control your attention for hours but you can’t…
Keep reading
At least 10 railcars derail in Mansfield; no injuries reported, officials say
Police are directing traffic and the Grand Prairie hazmat unit is on the scene after at least 10 railcars derailed in Mansfield on Thursday evening, officials said. The derailment happened near…
Keep reading
North Texas heat wave sparks power outages across Dallas neighborhoods
The extreme heat in North Texas is straining electrical equipment and causing scattered power outages across several Dallas neighborhoods. More than a dozen residents in the Kessler Park neighborhood told CBS…
Keep reading
Bear swipes at man in Colorado apartment complex and scratches his arm
A bear swiped at a man and scratched his arm on Monday. That’s according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials, who said it happened in the afternoon at an apartment complex…
Keep reading
Lawmakers expected to pass law ending child marriage in California
California lawmakers are expected to pass a new law ending child marriage within the state. Currently, California is one of three states that allow children of any age to get married…
Keep reading
Big Bear wildlife activists name eagle spotted with Shadow
Wildlife activists on Thursday named the new eagle that has been spotted following Shadow through Big Bear’s treetops and skies. “Generally, Friends of Big Bear Valley does not give names to…
Keep reading
Midday storm threat in Chicago area on Friday
Thunderstorms return to the Chicago area on Friday. Most of the morning remains dry, but by lunchtime, scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected to move into the Chicago area. Storms could…
Keep reading
Overcoming Distractions: Look to Jesus
Whatever you constantly look at will eventually influence how you live. When the world gets loud and life gets overwhelming, don’t stare harder at the distraction, look up and fix your…
Keep reading
Alaska Air Guard Rescues Injured Hiker From Hatcher Pass
At the request of the Alaska State Troopers, Alaska Air National Guardsmen of the 176th Wing rescued an injured hiker from steep terrain in the Hatcher Pass area, approximately 40 miles…
Keep reading
Authorities seize 29 cats, 1 dog from condemned Brooklyn Park home
Dozens of animals are beginning new lives after being rescued from a Twin Cities home last month. Twenty-nine cats and a dog were seized from the home of a 68-year-old Brooklyn…
Keep reading
Moving pillowcase leads to discovery of venomous snakes, other reptiles hidden in car at border
U.S. border agents found a collection of endangered reptiles when they noticed a pillowcase moving in a woman’s car after she was stopped at the border with Mexico due to an…
Keep reading
FDA upgrades recall of frozen blueberries sold at Publix to highest health risk level
The Food and Drug Administration upgraded a recall of frozen blueberries and mixed berries sold at Publix grocery stores across the U.S. to the highest health risk level on Tuesday, according…
Keep reading
Gary, Indiana residents must wait until Tuesday for power, 9 days after storm knocked it out
Nine days after the storm that was to blame for it all, tens of thousands of people yet again woke up without power in Northwest Indiana on Thursday. In Gary, NIPSCO…
Keep reading
Severe storms in weather forecast for Maryland Thursday, drier Friday
The WJZ First Alert Weather Team has declared Thursday as a First Alert Weather Day for the potential of a line of powerful storms across Maryland that could bring down trees…
Keep reading
Be Strong and Courageous: A Biblical Perspective
Courage begins where certainty ends. When the path ahead feels unknown and the weight of responsibility feels heavy, God calls His people not to retreat in fear, but to step forward…
Keep reading
The Distraction of Fear
Fear has a way of making tomorrow feel more real than today. But you were never meant to live inside a future that hasn’t happened yet, you were called to trust…
Keep readingSomething went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
You must be logged in to post a comment.