Here’s an interesting Florida law most people don’t now about: Unmarried couples living together is a second degree misdemeanor criminal offense.
Thousands of unmarried couples who are living together in Florida may be surprised to learn that they are actually breaking the law. Under outdated and rarely enforced state laws that have been on the books since the late 1800s, “cohabitation” is actually a second-degree misdemeanor, punishable by $500 or up to 60 days in jail. […]
via Florida Republicans Fight To Keep ‘Cohabitation’ Of Unmarried Couples Illegal.
What is fascinating about this is that it came out via an effort for one Republican lawmaker to streamline a number of Florida’s outdated criminal statutes such as this one.
Yet, Rep. Ritch Workman, A Republican from Melbourne is getting resistance from extreme social conservatives like Rep. Dennis Baxley from Ocala, who is quoted as saying “I’m not ready to give up on monogamy and a cultural statement that marriage still matters”.
Governor Scott appears unwilling to take a position on repealing the state’s criminal laws on adultery and cohabitation. No doubt reform would be on the fast track if police arrested Lebron James for violating the cohabitation law.
also via the Sun Sentinel.