MD Delegate seeks ban on first cousin marriage

Now this article caught my eye because I thought first cousin marriage was already banned. All over the US.

Delegate Henry Heller, D-Montgomery County, says he wants to bring Maryland "into the enlightened world of other states such as West Virginia and Arkansas" that already prohibit unions of first cousins.

Then the article goes on to say that 24 states have already banned it.

Now my first reaction was: ok that seems reasonable. But then I don't believe in the government interfering or legislating gay marriage. The risk of birth defects is about 3%, double the general population.
Does the government have a right to legislate this?

But then many couples carry unknown conditions and diseases.

md delegate

Legislating a moral decision between two adults should never happen...The more rights we give government to decide for us what is and isnt acceptable, the more we move away from the theoriy behind life, liberty, and the persuit of happiness.

Government needs to stay out of the decisions of adults...there is nothing reasonable about this or any other incest law...is it distasteful? sure, why not...but that doesn't matter. stay out of peoples lives there government, ktksbie

I find this topic interesting. While gay marraige is mostly unaknowledged,it doesn't produce children that can be affected.

Since a slightly incestual relationship can produce offspring, with a higher precentage of birth defects, should the government have a right to step in and say no?

But then someone could argue that would give leeway to arguing against anyone with a genetic disorder being able to get married.

So is it really banning a defect and protecting children? Or is it a hidden agenda of legislating a moral. Though this particular delegate doesnt care as long as it can't produce children.