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Florida Bid to Ban First-Cousin Marriage Fails as Session Ends

Lawmakers ran out of time on a broader health bill that carried the proposal.

Overview

  • The proposed ban was inserted as an amendment to a Department of Health measure that stalled before the deadline.
  • Marriage between first cousins remains legal in Florida under current state law.
  • Sponsor Rep. Dean Black says he plans to bring the ban back in a future session, potentially as a standalone bill or attached to another measure.
  • Draft language said incestuous marriages entered into after July 1 would not be recognized for any purpose in the state.
  • Florida is among a minority of states that still permit first-cousin marriage, though many others prohibit or restrict the practice.