CALL TO ACTION for Child Marriage Bill AB2924, New Club Executive Board, Club Membership Renewal
Child Marriage Bill AB2924 Introduced by Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris
Thank you to our club secretary Mandy Havlik for sharing her experience as a child bride and encouraging us to join her and other organizations in support of AB 2924. This legislation was just introduced by Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris, AD 73 to prohibit child marriage in California. Thank you to Beth Heiserman from Zonta International for sharing about the work being done to abolish child marriage.
California’s marriage age is 18 but the law includes alarming loopholes: A parent may “consent” to marry off a child of any age with judicial approval, and the court may enter a child of any age into marriage if the child does not have a parent capable of “consenting” to the marriage.
These loopholes disempower and seriously endanger minors, even with supposed safeguards the legislature added in 2018.
More than 8,000 California children are entered into marriage every year, and the annual number has been increasing in recent years. As of 2021, more than 14,000 minors living in California already have been married.
100% of these marriages would have been considered a sex crime outside of marriage.
Thank you, Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris, AD 73, for standing with survivors. We also want to show our gratitude and thanks to California State Senator Catherine Blakespear and Assemblymember Chris Ward, AD 78 for co-authoring this legislation.
Call to Action
Mandy works with Unchained At Last, a survivor-led non-profit organization dedicated to ending forced and child marriage in the United States. She also works with Zonta International, an international service organization with the mission of Building a Better World for Women and Girls.
We need your help. Please ask your representatives to support AB2924. Please write to your legislators here and ask them to support abolishing child marriage here in the state of California.
Pictured from left to right: Mandy Havlik, Dave Engel, Dave Fisher, Angela Hawkins
Election of Officers
Ruth Rollins, Nominating Committee Chair for the Club presented the new slate of officers to be voted upon at our February meeting. Congratulations to the 2024 Point Loma Democratic Executive Board - Dave Fisher, Dave Engel, Angela Hawkins and Mandy Havlik. Thank you to Kip Eischen and Leslie Bruce for your dedication and time served on the Executive Board. We are so grateful and appreciate your service.
Dave Fisher – President
Dave Engel – Vice President
Treasurer – Angela Hawkins (for one more year only) - link to bio
Secretary – Mandy Havlik (for a second year) - link in bio
2024 Membership Renewal Reminder
If you have not already renewed your membership, please do so now. All memberships were DUE IN JANUARY. If you did not renew by January 31, you lose your club voting privileges until you renew your membership.
If you’d like to renew your membership for 2024, please pay your dues and confirm your Democratic credentials — online here.
Save the Date
Our next club meeting will be held on Sunday, March 24, 2024, at 3:30 p.m. We look forward to your attendance and encourage our members to bring a snack to share with others.