Tennessee lawmakers this week will vote on a Bill seeking to establish common-law marriages in the state between “one man and one woman.” The Bill, which does not set an explicit age limit, would effectively legalise child marriages.

State Rep. Tom Leatherwood, the Republican from Shelby County who represents Arlington, sponsored House Bill 233, introducing it in the Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee on April 23. The legislation is designed to legalise common law marriage in Tennessee as a way to push back against the LGBTQ movement.

“I’ve seen a change in the tide, and if there’s any hostility, it’s against those people who do believe marriage comes from God, not from Government and do believe it’s between a man and a woman,” said Leatherwood.

“What’s the age limit on this Bill?” inquired Rep. Mike Stewart, a Democrat from Nashville, “My concern would be you’re changing the law and we have strict age limits on marriage in Tennessee and I don’t think we want to get away from that.”

“So your current language does not have an age limit? You’re aware our current law does have an age limit and you know what that age limit is?” Rep. Torrey Harris of Memphis asked Leatherwood.

Current Tennessee law states you can get married as young as 17 if you have parental consent.

Critics worry House Bill 233 if passed, would pave the way for child marriage and child sex abuse.

Advocates for the LGBTQ+ community have said the bill could also endanger marriage equality in Tennessee because it only includes unions between “one man and one woman.” The Supreme Court in 2015 legalized same-sex marriage in all 50 states, though some state Constitutions still define marriage only as a union between a man and a woman.

The bill passed the House subcommittee and now goes before the House Civil Justice Committee on April 6, and the full Senate will hear the Bill on Thursday, April 7.

In the absence of federal law setting a minimum age for marriage, several states have outlawed child marriage, but the practice is still technically legal in 44 states, including Tennessee.