Deadline slips, but minister promises gay marriage by 2018

Friday 01 May 2015

Chief Minister Ian Gorst has underlined his commitment to introducing same-sex marriages in Jersey by 2018.

He was quizzed in the States on Tuesday after missing a deadline to set out a clear timeline and take a new law to the States by the end of March this year.

But Senator Gorst says that the new law will go to the States this summer, and that he is sticking to the timeframe of making same sex marriage legal in Jersey by 2018.

In response to a written question from Deputy Sam Mezec, Senator Gorst wrote: “The report and proposition has been delayed to allow for more detailed consideration of matters pertaining to divorce and the future of civil partnerships.

“This includes consideration of the findings from a Jersey Law Commission consultation on divorce reform which has only just been concluded. It is anticipated that the report and proposition will therefore be lodged in early summer 2015.

“It will uphold the previously stated commitment to making same-sex marriage a reality in Jersey by the end of 2017.”

A report by the Chief Minister at the end of last year set the deadline of the end of 2017 for the introduction of same-sex marriage, as well as a review of the current grounds for divorce – including the possible introduction of “no fault” divorces - and more legal rights for co-habiting couples.

It also signalled that there would be “safeguards” put in place so that religious organisations and officials would be able to “opt-out” of performing same-sex marriages if they did not want to do them.

In Jersey, civil partnerships for same-sex couple were introduced in 2012 and up to the end of 2013, 44 couples had entered into them, and none had been dissolved.