As the current law in Florida stands, cohabitation of unmarried couples is currently illegal – a second-degree misdemeanor punishable by $500 or up to 60 days in jail. The same penalty applies to cheating husbands or wives, but only to opposite-sex couples. The laws have been on the books since the late 1800s, but are rarely enforced.
Now, Representative Ritch Workman is on a mission to repeal those and other laws he finds to be outdated, including one that requires bicycle riders to keep one hand on the handlebars at all times. He filed against the adultery and cohabitation laws last week.
The governor of Florida doesn’t have a comment on the matter, and a spokeswoman for Rick Scott replied, “This isn’t an issue the governor is focused on.”
Still, despite his indifference, other representatives aren’t interested in giving up so easily. State Rep. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, who previously headed the Florida chapter of the Christian Coalition, says he is opposed to repealing the laws because he is “not ready to give up on monogamy and a cultural statement that marriage still matters.”
What do you think? Is the law outdated or is it there for a reason?
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