Same-sex marriage in Jersey has been legal since 1 July 2018. The

States Assembly The States Assembly (french: Assemblée des États; Jèrriais: ) is the parliament of Jersey, formed of the island's 37 deputies and the Connétable of each of the twelve parishes. The origins of the legislature of Jersey lie in the system o ...

passed a bill allowing same-sex couples to marry on 1 February 2018.

Royal assent Royal assent is the method by which a monarch formally approves an act of the legislature, either directly or through an official acting on the monarch's behalf. In some jurisdictions, royal assent is equivalent to promulgation, while in oth ...

was granted on 23 May 2018, and the law took effect on 1 July.

Jersey Jersey ( , ; nrf, Jèrri, label= Jèrriais ), officially the Bailiwick of Jersey (french: Bailliage de Jersey, links=no; Jèrriais: ), is an island country and self-governing Crown Dependency near the coast of north-west France. It is the l ...

, a Crown dependency of the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

, also provides

civil partnerships A civil union (also known as a civil partnership) is a legally recognized arrangement similar to marriage, created primarily as a means to provide recognition in law for same-sex couples. Civil unions grant some or all of the rights of marriage ...

for same-sex couples. A bill for legalisation received royal assent on 14 December 2011 and was registered in the

Royal Court A royal court, often called simply a court when the royal context is clear, is an extended royal household in a monarchy, including all those who regularly attend on a monarch, or another central figure. Hence, the word "court" may also be appl ...

on 6 January 2012. It took effect on 2 April 2012.

Civil partnerships

In August 2009,

Chief Minister A chief minister is an elected or appointed head of government of – in most instances – a sub-national entity, for instance an administrative subdivision or federal constituent entity. Examples include a state (and sometimes a union terri ...

Terry Le Sueur announced that a bill to allow

,, offering same-sex couples some of the rights and benefits of

marriage Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

, would be drafted and be due for introduction to the Assembly of the

in October 2009. On 20 October 2009, the Assembly voted in favour of civil partnerships "in principle". The vote was 48 in favour, 1 against and 4 abstaining. A draft bill legalising civil partnerships was approved by the

Council of Ministers A council is a group of people who come together to consult, deliberate, or make decisions. A council may function as a legislature, especially at a town, city or county/ shire level, but most legislative bodies at the state/provincial or nati ...

on 24 March 2011 and introduced to the Assembly on 31 May. The Assembly passed it on 12 July 2011. On 14 December 2011, the bill received

royal assent Royal assent is the method by which a monarch formally approves an act of the legislature, either directly or through an official acting on the monarch's behalf. In some jurisdictions, royal assent is equivalent to promulgation, while in oth ...

and was registered in the

on 6 January 2012. In March 2012, the

Government of Jersey , image = , caption=Logos of the Government of Jersey in English and Jèrriais , date = , state = Jersey , address = 19-21 Broad Street, Saint Helier , appointed = Chief Minister, with approva ...

issued orders implementing the law, which took effect on 2 April 2012. In March 2022, the States Assembly passed a bill allowing opposite-sex couples to enter into civil partnerships as well. The law will enter into effect on a date yet to be determined by the government.

Same-sex marriage

On 28 May 2014, Deputy

Sam Mézec Samuel Yves Mézec (born 26 December 1990), is a Jersey politician who is the leader of Reform Jersey. He has been a member of the States Assembly since 2014, serving as both a Deputy and later as a Senator. Political career Mézec was elected ...

of the

Reform Jersey Reform Jersey is a social-democratic political party in Jersey, a British Crown Dependency in the Channel Islands. History Formation Reform Jersey was founded in 2012 as a pressure group by Montfort Tadier, Nick Le Cornu, Jason Cronin and ...

party submitted a proposition asking the States Assembly to support, in principle, the legalisation of

same-sex marriage Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same sex or gender. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 33 countries, with the most recent being Mexico, constituting ...

, and to request the

to prepare the necessary draft legislation to give effect to the proposal. On 8 July 2014, the Assembly voted for an amendment to the proposal, introduced by Senator Ian Le Marquand, to request the Chief Minister to present a detailed study into the effects of allowing same-sex marriage by 31 December 2014. The amendment was passed by 24 votes to 18 and the amended proposition by 39 to 1. On 26 November 2014, Chief Minister

Ian Gorst Ian Joseph Gorst (born 15 December 1969) is a Jersey politician who has been a Deputy for St Mary, St Ouen and St Peter and Minister for Treasury and Resources since 2022. Gorst was first elected to the States Assembly in the 2005 gene ...

submitted a report, which included a commitment to introduce legislation allowing same-sex couples to marry in civil and religious ceremonies by the end of 2017, and to create safeguards for religious organisations and officials who do not wish to conduct same-sex marriages, among others. On 14 July 2015, the Chief Minister submitted a proposition to ask the States to decide whether they agree, in principle, that same-sex couples should be allowed to marry and to request that the draft legislation necessary to implement it be introduced for approval by the States no later than January 2017. It was approved by the Assembly on 22 September 2015, 37 to 4. On 14 March 2017, following an oral question by Deputy Mézec, the Chief Minister stated that the bill would be lodged in anticipation for debate in the summer of 2017 and would come into force by December of the same year. However, on 8 September 2017, the Chief Minister said that the bill would be delayed and that it would not be in force until at least spring 2018. A draft same-sex marriage bill was eventually introduced to the States Assembly on 3 October 2017. The States debated the bill on 16 November 2017 and agreed to its principles but sent it for further review to the Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel. The panel's report was presented to the States on 29 January 2018. Controversially, the report included a recommendation asking the States to approve a "tolerance clause" in the bill, which would have allowed traders to refuse to serve same-sex couples goods and services in accordance with their religious beliefs. The "tolerance clause" was strenuously opposed by equality and diversity campaigners in Jersey. The equality charity Liberate organised an online petition that received over 5,000 signatures opposing the inclusion of the clause. The charity gathered key support from members of church groups and wedding suppliers opposing the clause. A final vote on the bill by the States occurred on 1 February 2018, where it passed 42–1. The tolerance clause amendment was rejected by a vote of 40–5. The bill was granted

in the Privy Council on 23 May 2018 and registered in the Royal Court on 1 June. On 26 June, the States approved a proposition to commence the law on 1 July 2018. The first same-sex marriage was performed on 9 July 2018 in

Saint Helier St Helier (; Jèrriais: ; french: Saint-Hélier) is one of the twelve parishes of Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands in the English Channel. St Helier has a population of 35,822 – over one-third of the total population of Jersey – ...

between Neil Renouf and John Cronin. Jersey law defines "same sex marriage" as "the marriage of 2 persons of the same sex and includes a marriage by conversion rom a civil partnership.

Religious performance

The

Methodist Church of Great Britain The Methodist Church of Great Britain is a Protestant Christian denomination in Britain, and the mother church to Methodists worldwide. It participates in the World Methodist Council, and the World Council of Churches among other ecumenical as ...

has allowed its ministers to conduct same-sex marriages since 2021. The Methodist Conference voted 254 to 46 in favour of the move. A freedom of conscience clause allows ministers with objections to opt out of performing same-sex weddings. The smaller

United Reformed Church The United Reformed Church (URC) is a Protestant Christian church in the United Kingdom. As of 2022 it has approximately 40,000 members in 1,284 congregations with 334 stipendiary ministers. Origins and history The United Reformed Church resulte ...

has allowed its churches to perform same-sex marriages since 2016. The

Quakers Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belief in each human's abil ...

also perform same-sex marriages.

Notes

References

External links

* * {{LGBT unions and rights in the territories of the United Kingdom

Same-sex marriage Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same sex or gender. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 33 countries, with the most recent being Mexico, constituting ...