Is polygamy legal in Utah?

Is polygamy legal in Utah?

Polygamy is essentially decriminalized in Utah under a bill signed into law. SALT LAKE CITY — Polygamy has essentially been decriminalized under a bill signed into law by Utah’s governor. Utah was forced to abandon the practice of polygamy as a condition of statehood. Yet, it remains practiced today.

How common is polygamy in Utah?

However, some who belong to groups that broke away from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints still practice polygamy. While official numbers do not exist, it is estimated that over 1 percent of Utah’s population is part of polygamist families.

Is polygamy a felony in Utah?

A new law that took effect in Utah this week has lowered the punishment for polygamy in some cases, making it an infraction similar to a traffic summons instead of a felony punishable by a prison term. But a polygamous marriage is still a felony if it was made by threats, fraud or force or involves abuse.

Where is polygamy most common?

Polygamy is very common in the animist and Muslim communities of West Africa. In Senegal, for example, nearly 47 per cent of marriages are said to feature multiple women. It is relatively high still in many Arab nations; among the Bedouin population of Israel it stands at about 30 per cent.