Michigan Bans Child Marriage And Lifts Cohabitation Ban

Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed new laws on Tuesday that ended child marriage in the state. These laws have some key points. Firstly, no one under 18 can get married anymore, and any marriages involving minors are now considered invalid. Parents can no longer give their blessing for their kids to get hitched before 18. Another bill lets parents or guardians annul a marriage if one of the parties was underage, even if they kept living together as a married couple after reaching the legal age.

Until recently, Michigan stood among a small group of states without a set minimum age for marriage. Under the previous law, 16- and 17-year-olds could get married if they had the consent of their parents. People under the age of 16 required both parental approval and the authorization of a judge.

Advocates of the new laws argue that the previous marriage regulations in Michigan created a loophole that could be exploited by child predators. According to data collected by Unchained at Last, a national nonprofit organization working to implement bans on child marriage in every state, more than 5,400 child marriages occurred in Michigan between 2000 and 2021, 95% of which were between girls and older men.

The new legislation also tackles the issue of criminal sexual conduct by ensuring that a person can't be convicted of criminal sexual conduct solely because their legal spouse is mentally incapacitated. And to top it off, they got rid of an old law that said that unmarried men and women couldn't live together.

Back in 2016, a study done by the nonpartisan Senate Fiscal Agency found only Michigan and Mississippi still had rules against unmarried couples living together. Although the assessment noted that Michigan's enforcement of this restriction was virtually nonexistent. The bill addressing cohabitation received approval from the Michigan Senate with a vote of 29-9, with support coming from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers. It also passed the House with a vote of 82-26.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer, alongside state officials and advocates against distracted driving, took a significant step on June 7 by signing House Bills 4250, 4251, and 4252. These measures are designed to combat distracted driving, prioritize safety, and save lives. The new laws emphasize the importance of drivers keeping their complete focus on the road by encouraging the use of hands-free technology.

RELATED: 'Michigan Distracted Driving Law Expanding: What To Know

Mark your calendars for June 30, 2023, because that's when the new rules from HBs 4250, 4251, and 4252 will kick in. They don't stop at just texting while driving. They also crack down on using social media, streaming videos, and even taking calls on handheld devices. If you're caught breaking these rules in a regular car, you could be slapped with fines of up to $250. But if you're driving a big rig or a school bus, be ready to face fines of up to $500. And if your distracted driving causes an accident, brace yourself because those fines will be doubled.

The previous distracted driving law in Michigan only covered texting while driving. This left other cellphone activities like mobile apps, social media, and video streaming unaddressed.

According to AAA, taking your eyes off the road for just two seconds doubles the risk of a crash. Reading an email or text for five seconds is equivalent to driving blindly across a football field. Cognitive distractions can last longer than you think, with mental distractions lingering for up to 27 seconds after tasks like texting or changing the radio station. Additionally, new teen drivers are three times more likely than adults to be involved in a deadly crash.

The AAA provides essential tips to avoid distracted driving, such as putting your mobile device out of sight to resist temptation, programming your destination before driving if using a navigation system, and safely pulling over before making calls or texting. They also said to ask passengers for assistance with navigation or messages, speak up if the driver is distracted, and avoid calling or texting others who are driving. Another helpful tip is activating the Do Not Disturb feature on your iPhone or Android to block calls while driving. They did note that everyone, including pedestrians and bicyclists, should stay focused in traffic and avoid using phones or playing games while walking or cycling.

House Bill 4250 is here to modernize Michigan's distracted driving laws. The law only covers texting while driving, but this bill takes it up a notch. It includes watching or recording videos, scrolling through social media, and more. But don't worry, if you need to use your phone, the new law allows you to use voice-operated or hands-free technology. There's also an interesting twist: if you're repeatedly caught with three or more civil infractions in three years, the court can make you take a basic driver improvement course. The fines for these infractions are getting an update too.

House Bill 4251 is all about ensuring reckless drivers face the consequences for putting everyone's safety at risk. It covers commercial vehicles, driving record points, and driver improvement courses, holding those responsible accountable.

House Bill 4252 is all about keeping tabs on the new law's effectiveness. It requires the Michigan State Police (MSP) to submit a progress report after 3.5 years to see how things are going. By the way, Ohio jumped on the hands-free law train too. According to the Governor's Office, In just one month, they saw a nine percent drop in distracted driving. That means over 500 crashes were prevented.