California legislators sent a bill to Governor Gavin Newsom that would bar anyone under 18 from marrying, ending the state's status as one of the last without a firm minimum age. The measure cleared its final vote this week.

California currently permits marriage at any age with parental consent and a judge's approval, a policy child-welfare advocates have argued for years leaves minors vulnerable to coercion. The legislation would eliminate those exceptions entirely, aligning the state with a growing number that have set 18 as the floor.

The bill drew opposition from several civil rights organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union of California and Planned Parenthood affiliates, which warned that a blanket ban could restrict the autonomy of emancipated minors and pregnant teenagers. Supporters, led by advocacy group Unchained At Last, countered that no exception can be safely policed and that most underage marriages involve significant age gaps.

Newsom has not publicly committed to signing the measure, but Democratic legislative leaders expressed confidence he would act before the October deadline. If enacted, the law would make California the 14th state to prohibit marriage before 18 without exception.

"Children cannot consent to a lifelong contract they are legally too young to escape," said a spokesperson for Unchained At Last, urging the governor to sign the bill without delay.