Marriage between first cousins is still legal in Florida after a bill banning the union failed to pass the state Senate.
While the Sunshine State bans marriage between most family members, Floridians are still allowed to tie the knot with their first cousins. State Representative Dean Black, a Republican, tried to outlaw all incestuous marriages with an amendment to a bill involving changes to Florida’s Department of Health.
“There are plenty of people here, and there are plenty of people you can find to be your lifelong partner without looking to your first cousin,” Black told Action News Jax.
The failed bill states, “A man may not marry any woman to whom he is related by lineal consanguinity…A woman may not marry any man to whom she is related by lineal consanguinity.”
Incestuous marriages entered into after July 1 would not be recognized “for any purpose in this state,” if the legislation had passed, according to the bill’s text.
But the bill failed simply because lawmakers ran out of time in the legislative session.
Black said there were disagreements over other parts of the bill, which prevented the measure from passing before the session ended.
Black said he thinks a ban on first cousin marriages “should come back whether it’s a standalone bill, whether it’s tagged onto some other bill. Not really sure. We’ll have to see.”
Florida is one of 16 states with no limitations on marrying your first cousin, according to Action News Jax.
“I think we need to do the right thing for Floridians here,” Black said.
