Tennessee Legislature Passes Bill Banning First-Cousin Marriages

The Tennessee state house has passed a bill prohibiting marriage between first cousins, aiming to close a loophole in a law enacted in 1829. The bill, which passed with a 75-2 vote, now awaits approval from the governor. The debate around the bill included discussions about public health and its potential conflict with same-sex marriage rights, with one representative arguing that there was no compelling state interest to ban same-sex cousins from marrying.