Environment
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified.
Risks
- No material direct effect identified.
StateKentuckyIntroduced
SB 156: AN ACT relating to child marriage.
Unknown Sponsor
SB 156 status: Introduced — recommitted to Appropriations & Revenue (H) (updated Apr 15, 2026).
Source
OpenStates
Confidence
Low
Analysis basis
OpenStates summary
01
What this bill does
Official summary alongside an AI-generated read on where it stands and why.
Overall Score
83OUT OF 100
Score:83/100 civic fit
Risk:Low Risk
Impact:Moderate Impact 65/100
Constitutionality90%
Bipartisan70%
Public opinion85%
Bill summary
Amend KRS 402.020 to prohibit marriage with a person under 18 years of age; exclude from being prohibited and void, marriages entered into in the Commonwealth before the effective date of this Act and marriages entered into in another state or country; amend KRS 402.080 and 402.210 to prohibit the issuance of marriage licenses to persons under 18 years of age; amend KRS 402.030 to conform; repeal KRS 402.205, relating to petitions to courts filed by minors aged 17 years seeking permission to marry.
02
Impact analysis
✦ AI analysisModeled effects across six domains, estimated from bill text and comparable legislation.
Economy
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified.
Risks
- No material direct effect identified.
Society
Positive outlook
90%
Benefits
- Protects minors from premature, potentially forced marriage
- Aligns Kentucky laws with higher age-of-consent standards
- Reduces risk of domestic abuse for young spouses
Risks
- Eliminates individual autonomy for those close to adulthood
- Potential conflict with established cultural or religious practices
- May require adjustment for existing informal relationships
Technology Industry
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified.
Risks
- No material direct effect identified.
Civic Accountability
Positive outlook
75%
Benefits
- Standardizes marriage age requirements state-wide
- Reduces ambiguity in family court eligibility
- Eliminates subjective judicial petition processes
Risks
- Repeals existing judicial oversight/discretion mechanisms
- Reduces venue for minor-specific legal exceptions
- Centralizes marriage rules, limiting local court authority
Public Health & Safety
Positive outlook
85%
Benefits
- Mitigates health risks associated with child marriage
- Improves long-term educational/economic outcomes for youth
- Protects vulnerable populations from predatory relationships
Risks
- Potential for hidden/informal unions without legal protections
- Requires social services to handle youth impacts of legal restriction
- No stated plan for support of displaced minors in current unions
03
How trustworthy & consequential it is
Sourcing already shown above, this is what the analysis found worth flagging.
Source
OpenStates
Official bill text or data from OpenStates.
Confidence
Low
Information is limited or incomplete.
Analysis basis
OpenStates summary
Source used for this bill's analysis.
Source note
LegiScan returned a PDF-only document. PDF extraction is not enabled in this build, so the pipeline used a safer fallback.
Analysis scope
Abstract does not provide an effective date.
04
Where it stands
Official record- IntroducedCurrent
- CommitteeUpcoming
- Chamber votesUpcoming
- Final agreementUpcoming
- GovernorUpcoming
- EnactedUpcoming
05
How it affects your district
✦ Personalized
Set your location
Add your district to see how this bill may affect your community and who to contact.
Your Representatives
Your representatives appear here once you add your location.
06
Take action
Contact your representatives
Let them know how you feel about this bill.
Share your view
Join the discussion and see what others are saying.
Track this bill
Stay updated on progress and changes.