Tennessee Lawmakers Outlawed Strange First Cousin Marriages
People of Tennessee, stop using ancestry.com instead of Tinder to find dates.
Tennessee Lawmakers Propose Legislation To Ban First Cousin Marriages
In Tennessee, there's a proposal to make it illegal for first cousins to marry each other. Representative Darren Jernigan introduced the proposal in the House, and Senator Jeff Yarbro introduced it in the Senate.
The proposal wants to change a part of Tennessee law about who can marry who. Right now, it's not allowed for cousins to marry, but the proposal wants to make it clearer by saying descendants of grandparents can't marry either.
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What Did The Bill Say Exactly?
The bill states, "Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 36-3-101, is amended by deleting the language "nor the child of a grandparent" and substituting "nor the lineal descendant of a grandparent."
When Does The Law Start?
They didn't make a decision about the proposal yet. They're going to talk about it more next week. If the proposal becomes a law, it would start right away.
Why You Shouldn't Marry Your Cousin Anyway
Marrying a cousin can have some potential risks for children they might have. When close relatives like cousins have children together, there's a higher chance for genetic disorders or health problems in the children. This is because they share more similar genes than unrelated people, and certain genetic conditions can be passed down more easily. That's why in many places, including Tennessee, marrying cousins is not allowed or is restricted by law to reduce the risks to any future children.
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