PROPOSED TENNESSEE BILL WOULD BAN MARRIAGES BETWEEN FIRST COUSINS

A proposed bill prohibiting marriages between first cousins is on its way to the desk of Tennessee Governor Bill Lee for his signature.

The bill passed in a 75-2 vote.

The sponsor of the bill, Democratic State Representative Darren Jernigan said the bill would delete language in the law enacted by the state’s General Assembly in 1829, substituting “nor the child of a grandparent” with “nor the lineal descendant of a grandparent,” effectively prohibiting marriage between first cousins.

In 1960, Tennessee’s attorney general wrote an opinion, which determined the statute from 1829 did not prohibit marriage between cousins

Republican State Representative Gino Bulso, who voted against the bill, contended there was no compelling state interest to ban same-sex cousins from getting married, saying without an amendment, the new bill would “demonstrably” violate the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges same-sex marriage decision.

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