In the States today Deputy Sam Mezec wants the Chief Minister to address a loophole in the marriage law which means gay couples who have tied the knot are not recognized as married in Jersey.
The St Helier No 2 Deputy, who has tabled a question for today’s sitting on the subject, said: “Basically at the moment there is a legal loophole in Jersey. If gay couples get married in the UK and move to Jersey the relationship is completely unrecognized and that causes legal issues, in terms of inheritance and tax.
“That needs to be addressed and there needs to be a wider discussion on gay rights.”
The first same-sex marriages took place in the UK on 29 March this year giving gay and lesbian couples equal marriage rights. But they can’t have a wedding in Jersey, they can only enter into civil partnerships.
Deputy Mezec says he’s had a number of members of the gay and lesbian community lobbying him as well as lots of young Islanders and says rather than just having the law re-drafted, Jersey should allow same-sex marriages too.
The 23-year-old law graduate is the youngest States member who took Shona Pitman’s seat in March after she was kicked out of the States for being bankrupt.
He said: “We all believe in gay rights now from a young perspective.”
