MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1997 Regular Session

To: Judiciary A

By: Representatives Smith (39th), Ross, Smith (35th), Wells-Smith

House Bill 651

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 93-1-1, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT MARRIAGES BETWEEN PERSONS OF THE SAME SEX SHALL BE PROHIBITED AND SHALL NOT BE RECOGNIZED; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

 

SECTION 1. Section 93-1-1, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

93-1-1. (1) The son shall not marry his grandmother, his mother, or his stepmother; the brother his sister; the father his daughter, or his legally adopted daughter, or his granddaughter; the son shall not marry the daughter of his father begotten of his stepmother, or his aunt, being his father's or mother's sister, nor shall the children of brother or sister, or brothers and sisters intermarry being first cousins by blood. The father shall not marry his son's widow; a man shall not marry his wife's daughter, or his wife's daughter's daughter, or his wife's son's daughter, or the daughter of his brother or sister; and the like prohibition shall extend to females in the same degrees. All marriages prohibited by this subsection are incestuous and void.

(2) (a) It is hereby declared to be the public policy of this state to recognize the union only of man and woman. No same sex marriage shall be recognized as entitled to the benefits of marriage.

(b) Marriages between persons of the same sex are prohibited in this state. Any marriage entered into by persons of the same sex, where such license is issued by another state or foreign jurisdiction, shall be void in this state and any contractual rights granted by virtue of such license, including its termination, shall be unenforceable in the courts of this state.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.