HB790 Summary

• Raises the minimum legal age for marriage in Hawaii from 16 to 18 years old, eliminating the exception allowing 15-year-olds to marry with family court approval.

• Removes requirements for parental consent and written family court approval for minors seeking to marry.

• Makes it mandatory (rather than permissory) for family court to declare marriages void when either party had not reached the legal age of marriage at the time of the marriage.

• Eliminates spousal cohabitation after reaching legal age as an exception to annulment based on age of the parties at time of marriage.

• Makes conforming amendments to workers' compensation benefits, family court jurisdiction, and guardianship definitions to reflect the new minimum marriage age.