This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/apr/21/michigan-republicans-repeal-ban-unmarried-cohabitation
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Michigan Republicans fight effort to repeal ban on unmarried cohabitation | Michigan Republicans fight effort to repeal ban on unmarried cohabitation |
| (about 21 hours later) | |
| Law signed in 1931 is rarely enforced but carries penalty of prison time and $1,000 fine | Law signed in 1931 is rarely enforced but carries penalty of prison time and $1,000 fine |
| An attempt to repeal a Michigan law that punishes unmarried couples who live together is being thwarted by Republicans in the state legislature. | An attempt to repeal a Michigan law that punishes unmarried couples who live together is being thwarted by Republicans in the state legislature. |
| The law, which dates to 1931, targets “any man or woman, not being married to each other, who lewdly and lasciviously associates and cohabits together”. | The law, which dates to 1931, targets “any man or woman, not being married to each other, who lewdly and lasciviously associates and cohabits together”. |
| It is rarely enforced but violations carry a penalty of up to a year in prison and a $1,000 fine. | It is rarely enforced but violations carry a penalty of up to a year in prison and a $1,000 fine. |
| Senate Bill 56, which seeks to repeal the law, attracted support from all state senate Democrats and half of Republicans. But nine Republicans voted against. | Senate Bill 56, which seeks to repeal the law, attracted support from all state senate Democrats and half of Republicans. But nine Republicans voted against. |
| Edward McBroom, a Republican, spoke in opposition to the bill on the senate floor – for, he said, the sake of the “common good”. | Edward McBroom, a Republican, spoke in opposition to the bill on the senate floor – for, he said, the sake of the “common good”. |
| He said: “This law was not passed to be mean … it was passed for the betterment of society, particularly for children.” | He said: “This law was not passed to be mean … it was passed for the betterment of society, particularly for children.” |
| McBroom argued that unmarried cohabitation does not promote marriage, and that such arrangements lead to broken homes that hurt children. | |
| Another Republican state senator against repealing the antiquated law said his reasons for doing so were tax-related. | Another Republican state senator against repealing the antiquated law said his reasons for doing so were tax-related. |
| Thomas Albert said: “I very easily would be a yes on this bill if the tax structure continued to encourage marriage.” | Thomas Albert said: “I very easily would be a yes on this bill if the tax structure continued to encourage marriage.” |
| According to federal law, an individual may not claim someone such as their domestic partner as a dependent, if their state outlaws the nature of their relationship. Only one other state – Mississippi – has a similar law regarding unmarried couples. | According to federal law, an individual may not claim someone such as their domestic partner as a dependent, if their state outlaws the nature of their relationship. Only one other state – Mississippi – has a similar law regarding unmarried couples. |
| In Michigan, for the first time in four decades, Democrats control the legislature and the governor’s mansion. | In Michigan, for the first time in four decades, Democrats control the legislature and the governor’s mansion. |
| Referencing that new landscape, a Democratic state senator, Erika Geiss, tweeted: “Between this and the anti-abortion laws that are now repealed in Michigan, 1931 was quite the year in Michigan when its legislature was composed of solely men. | Referencing that new landscape, a Democratic state senator, Erika Geiss, tweeted: “Between this and the anti-abortion laws that are now repealed in Michigan, 1931 was quite the year in Michigan when its legislature was composed of solely men. |
| “But this legislature in 2023, composed of mostly women, is fixing that shit.” | “But this legislature in 2023, composed of mostly women, is fixing that shit.” |
| The bill now moves to the statehouse. | The bill now moves to the statehouse. |