Saturday, March 30, 2019

Utah legalizes sex outside of marriage, repealing 'fornication' law


Bailey Vogt - The Washington Times - Friday, March 29, 2019

In this March 14, 2019, file photo, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert speaks during an interview on the final day of the legislative session at the Utah State Capitol in Satl Lake City. Herbert has signed a law banning most abortions after 18 weeks of gestation, setting the stage for a legal showdown. (Francisco Kjholseth/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP, File) **FILE**
Image from article, with caption: In this March 14, 2019, file photo, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert speaks during an interview on the final day of the legislative session at the Utah State Capitol in Satl Lake City. Herbert has signed a law banning most abortions after 18 weeks of gestation, setting the stage for a legal showdown. (Francisco Kjholseth/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP, File)

Utah Governor Gary Herbert signed a bill Wednesday decriminalizing sex outside of marriage and repealing a 1973 “fornication” bill.

The Republican governor enacted Senate Bill 43, removing sex outside of marriage as a class B misdemeanor and per Utah state law could have resulted in six months of jail time.

The “fornication” law, as it was referred to, was included as “offenses against the family.”

The bill was sponsored by state Senate Minority Leader Karen Mayne and passed in the House of Representatives in March with less than 10 votes.

“What is legally [right] is often far below what is morally right,” Rep. Keven Stratton criticized after the bill passed, according to Fox 13. “And I recognize our laws are not strong enough to rule a [sic] immoral people.”

The governor also decriminalized sodomy and adultery between consenting adults in other measures signed this week.

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