The Missouri Senate recently passed two bills with overwhelming bipartisan support: one to ban child marriage and the other to prohibit discrimination against natural Black hair. The child marriage bill, Senate Bill 66, aims to raise the minimum age of marriage to 18 in all circumstances to protect children from various risks associated with early marriage. The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Tracy McCreery, emphasized the importance of this legislation for the well-being of children in the state.
The second bill, Senate Bill 38, known as the Missouri CROWN Act, seeks to prevent educational institutions from discriminating against natural Black hairstyles. Sen. Barbara Washington, the sponsor of the bill, spoke about her personal experiences with discrimination based on her hair type and highlighted the need to protect children from such discriminatory practices.
Both bills had previously faced challenges in the legislature, but this year, they received strong support in the Senate. With the child marriage ban and the CROWN Act already approved in the Senate, there is optimism that they will pass in the House of Representatives as well.
The passage of these bills marks an important step towards ensuring the protection and equality of children in Missouri. The bipartisan support for these measures reflects a commitment to promoting social justice and equity in the state. The bills will now proceed to the House of Representatives for further consideration and potentially becoming law in Missouri.
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