California has moved from allowing court-approved marriages for minors of any age to banning marriage and domestic partnerships for everyone under 18. The sweeping change is being celebrated as a protection for children, while the law’s delayed implementation leaves a narrow but notable gap before it fully takes effect.

Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1267, making California the 18th state to outlaw child marriage. Under the previous rules, parental consent and a court order could permit a minor to marry; the new law removes those exceptions entirely and also blocks domestic partnerships, which provide spousal protections. The measure takes full effect in 2027, a timeline emphasized by conservative coverage of the legislation.¹

Supporters describe the change as both overdue and urgent. Newsom said it was “a long overdue measure to protect young Californians and minors” and declared that “California kids are safer than ever before.”² The advocacy group Unchained At Last estimates that about 9,000 children are married in California each year, underscoring the scale supporters attribute to the problem.¹

Survivor Courtney Stodden, who married a 51-year-old actor at 16, framed the law in personal terms, saying children “should never have been expected to carry this burden.”¹ Stodden also vowed to continue campaigning for a nationwide ban, making clear that California’s reform is viewed as a milestone rather than an endpoint.

The competing perspectives therefore differ less over the ban itself than over its timing and broader significance: liberal advocates present it as a long-delayed safeguard, while conservative reporting foregrounds the 2027 start date. The law’s central fact, however, is unambiguous—California has eliminated every exception.