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Changing the Price of Marriage: Evidence from Blood Test Requirements
- Journal of Human Resources
- University of Wisconsin Press
- Volume 46, Number 3, Summer 2011
- pp. 539-567
- 10.1353/jhr.2011.0027
- Article
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We use state repeals of blood test requirements (BTRs) for a marriage license that occurred between 1980 and 2008 to examine the impact of changes in the price of marriage on the marriage decision. Using a within-group estimator that holds constant state and year effects and exploits variation in the repeal dates of BTRs across states, we find that BTRs are associated with a 6.1 percent decrease in marriage licenses issued by a state. This main finding is supported with results from individual-level marriage license and Current Population Survey data. The largest effects are found for lower socioeconomic groups.