Marriage Protection Act (1996)
Marriage between one (1) man and one (1) woman only legally
recognized marital contract.
(a) Tennessee 's marriage licensing laws reinforce, carry
forward, and make explicit the long-standing public policy
of this state to recognize the family as essential to social
and economic order and the common good and as the fundamental
building block of our society. To that end, it is further
the public policy of this state that the historical institution
and legal contract solemnizing the relationship of one (1)
man and one (1) woman shall be the only legally recognized
marital contract in this state in order to provide the unique
and exclusive rights and privileges to marriage.
(b) The legal union in matrimony of only one (1) man and
one (1) woman shall be the only recognized marriage in this
state.
(c) Any policy, law or judicial interpretation that purports
to define marriage as anything other than the historical
institution and legal contract between one (1) man and one
(1) woman is contrary to the public policy of Tennessee
.
(d) If another state or foreign jurisdiction issues a license
for persons to marry which marriages are prohibited in this
state, any such marriage shall be void and unenforceable
in this state.
Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-3-113
The historical institution and legal contract solemnizing the relationship of one man and one woman shall be the only legally recognized marital contract in this state. Any policy or law or judicial interpretation, purporting to define marriage as anything other than the historical institution and legal contract between one man and one woman, is contrary to the public policy of this state and shall be void and unenforceable in Tennessee . If another state or foreign jurisdiction issues a license for persons to marry and if such marriage is prohibited in this state by the provisions of this section, then the marriage shall be void and unenforceable in this state.
(Tennessee Constitution, approved by 81% of voters on Tuesday, November 7, 2006)
