2017 was not the end of the story
New York’s reform path happened in stages. In 2017, the state tightened the rules and prohibited marriage for minors under 17. That was meaningful, but it still left an exception structure for some 17-year-olds. In 2021, the state moved further and raised the age of consent for marriage to 18, with no under-18 exceptions.
Why the second step mattered
Partial reform narrows risk but leaves a side door. Full reform closes the side door. That is why the 2021 law mattered more from a child-protection standpoint. It replaced a layered exception model with a cleaner prohibition.
Related reading
Read the current-law overview, then compare Michigan and California.