In a decisive move to curtail underage marriages facilitated through interstate travel, Utah State Representative Melissa Garff Ballard has introduced House Bill 103. This legislation seeks to tackle the alarming trend of minors being taken out of state for the purpose of marriage, particularly in communities where such practices have historically occurred, including polygamous groups. The bill emerges from growing concerns regarding the safety and well-being of minors in Utah, particularly those who are susceptible to coercive relationships often perpetuated through social media. Elizabeth Roundy, an ex-member of the Fundamentalist Latter-day Saints (FLDS) Church, shared her emotional struggle, revealing that she has not seen some of her children in years. "I miss them every day and pray that we'll be able to find them and return them home," Roundy stated in an interview with FOX 13 News. Her concerns reflect a broader issue that has caught the attention of lawmakers: the potential for minors to be forced into marriages against their will. Roundy’s situation is particularly poignant; her children have been missing and are believed to have returned to the FLDS Church, where underage marriages have been a contentious issue. She noted that some of her children were subjects of an AMBER Alert in Idaho last year, raising alarms about their safety and the risk of being caught in the cycle of forced marriages within the church community. House Bill 103 aims to establish legal consequences for individuals who unlawfully marry a minor, travel out of state to marry a minor, or transport a minor for the purpose of an illegal marriage. Rep. Ballard emphasized the urgency of the matter, citing reports indicating that Utah has become a hub for various forms of trafficking, including human and sex trafficking. "We have report after report of Utah being the crossroads of drugs, human trafficking, sex trafficking, and right now with social media? It's so prevalent with individuals coercing minors to get married or to 'meet me and we'll get married so that you can come and get away from your families,'" she explained. The legislation is not solely focused on polygamous communities but aims to address the wider implications of predatory behaviors exacerbated by online platforms. Rep. Ballard clarified that the bill is not intended to raise the legal marriage age in Utah, which currently allows individuals to marry at 16 with parental consent and judicial approval. Instead, she stated, "You go out of state to deliberately go around Utah laws, whether it's with a Utah minor or a minor from another state and then come back that should be against the law." This legislative initiative has generated interest from various advocacy groups, including those focused on combating human trafficking and supporting individuals from polygamous backgrounds. Though representatives from these organizations have been reviewing the bill, they have yet to take an official stance. Roundy expressed cautious optimism about the bill’s potential impact. "I'm really grateful that people are taking the initiative and trying to help us out, and it's my hope and prayer it'll help to protect all our young children from all these underage marriages that are illegal and terrible," she remarked. Her perspective underscores the urgency and need for protective measures against exploitative practices. As the Utah State Legislature gears up for its upcoming session, the bill will be on the docket for consideration. Rep. Ballard reiterated the core objective of the legislation: "This is really to say we do not want you in Utah to violate Utah marriage laws or try to go around them by just taking a minor out of state and then returning. We do not want you to take advantage of minors in our state, child trafficking, sex trafficking, and we want to help protect them." The introduction of House Bill 103 marks a significant step in addressing the issues surrounding underage marriages in Utah, especially as they intersect with concerns about human trafficking and the safety of vulnerable minors. The bill's fate remains to be seen as it awaits deliberation by state lawmakers, but it has already sparked important conversations about the protection of children in the state and the responsibilities of society to uphold their rights and safety.