Tennessee Passes Bill Banning First-Cousin Marriages Despite Republican Opposition

Tennessee's General Assembly passed a bill banning marriage between first cousins, drawing support from most Republicans but facing opposition from some. Republican Rep. Gino Bulso argued in favor of an amendment to protect cousin marriage if couples see a genetic counselor, citing a 1.7% to 2.8% increased risk of birth defects. He also claimed the ban would violate the Supreme Court case Obergefell v Hodges, which legalized gay marriage. House Republican leadership dismissed his argument as an attempt to show the irony between the bill and the Obergefell ruling, as the bill would also outlaw LGBTQ+ marriages between first cousins.