Bill to ban child marriage in Washington stalls again in the Senate

Washington’s legislative session ends in a handful of days, but even bills with strong, unanimous support are failing to pass out of committee.

House Bill 1455 to ban child marriage in Washington is one of them; and according to advocates, the legislation is not being given the priority it deserves.

"I'm just one of hundreds of thousands of survivors across the United States," said Sara Tasneem, who publicly testified this session in favor of House Bill 1455. "My story, unfortunately, is not unique. And sadly, we all face the same types of abuse, and it just has to change.

Tasneem was a joyful 15-year-old girl before she said her father forced her into a marriage with a man who was 13 years older than her. He was 28 and she was 15.