Tallahassee, Florida — Florida lawmakers failed to pass legislation that would have banned marriage between first cousins, leaving the practice legal in the state following the end of the legislative session.
House Bill 733, which sought to prohibit such unions, stalled amid broader legislative disagreements. State Rep. Dean Black attempted to attach the measure to a Florida Department of Health bill, but lawmakers ran out of time before reaching agreement. The failure highlights how unrelated policy disputes can derail even narrowly focused proposals.
Supporters of the ban argued that the state should align with others that restrict cousin marriages. Black said the issue is likely to return in a future session, suggesting it could be introduced again either as a standalone bill or attached to other legislation.
Florida remains among a minority of states that permit first-cousin marriages without restrictions, alongside states such as California and New York. While the practice was once widely accepted across the U.S., most states have since adopted limits or bans.
The stalled bill reflects ongoing divisions within the Legislature, even on relatively niche issues, as competing priorities and time constraints continue to shape which proposals advance.
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