LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers and advocates on Thursday launched a new push to end child marriage in Kentucky.

The R.I.S.E. Kentucky Coalition stands for Reclaim Innocence, Stop Exploitation, was announced at a press conference at the Center for Women and Families in Louisville.

Citing gaps in the state’s 2018 reforms that they say still leave minors vulnerable to exploitation and mental health risks.

The effort is led by Donna Simmons, an author and advocate who founded the national R.I.S.E. Coalition, and state Senator Julie Raque Adams, who was pivotal in Kentucky’s 2018 child marriage legislation.

Advocates said they will press for stricter enforcement of existing laws and propose new legislation to close loopholes that allow minors to marry.

The group is a

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