A bill aiming to ban marriage between first cousins failed to pass in the Florida Senate as the lawmakers ran out of time in the legislative session. State Representative Dean Black, who championed the bill, hoped that it would be taken up in near future by the lawmakers. “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 bill said: “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.
Black said there were disagreements over other parts of the bill, which prevented the measure from passing before the session ended.
Florida is one of 16 states with no limitations on marrying your first cousin. First cousins are those who share the same grandparents and from a biological perspective, they happen to share about 12.5% of their DNA.
Alabama
Alaska
California
Colorado
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Maryland
Massachussetts
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina (except for double-first cousins)
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Vermont
Virginia
Washington DC
Arizona (both over 65, or one person infertile)
Illinois (both over 50, or one person infertile)
Indiana (both over 65)
Maine (both same sex, or had genetic counselling)
Minnesota (only native peoples)
Utah (both over 65, or both over 55 and one person infertile)
Wisconsin (woman is over 55, or one person infertile)
Arkansas
Delaware
Idaho
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
South Dakota
Texas
Washington
West Virginia
Wyoming
