Overview
- DeSantis, speaking in Tampa on Monday at a signing for a new law letting Florida label groups as terrorist organizations, urged a statutory ban on first-cousin marriages.
- An earlier attempt folded into HB 733, a wide Department of Health package, died after disputes over unrelated items such as medical marijuana rules and dental practice standards.
- First-cousin marriage remains legal in Florida, which is among roughly 16 states and Washington, D.C., that allow such unions without broad restrictions.
- The governor linked the issue to cultural and national security concerns using the phrase “stealth jihad,” while supporters of a ban cite genetic risk and critics emphasize personal freedom and family privacy.
- Because this was his last regular legislative session, reporting notes his fastest path would be to add a ban to a special session, with Florida Politics focusing on procedure and Fox News highlighting his cultural rationale.