Same-sex marriage in Jersey

Jersey followed the other Crown Dependencies of the United Kingdom in legalising same-sex marriage, after the Isle of Man in 2016 and Guernsey (excluding Alderney and Sark) in 2017.

In August 2009, Chief Minister Terry Le Sueur announced that a bill to allow civil partnerships (Jèrriais: parchonn'nie civile,[1] pronounced [parʃõnːi sivil]; French: partenariat enregistré, pronounced [paʁtənaʁja ɑ̃ʁəʒistʁe]) offering same-sex couples some of the rights and benefits of marriage, would be drafted and be due for introduction to the Assembly of the States Assembly in October 2009.

On 28 May 2014, Deputy Sam Mézec of the Reform Jersey party submitted a proposition asking the States Assembly to support, in principle, the legalisation of same-sex marriage, and to request the Chief Minister to prepare the necessary draft legislation to give effect to the proposal.

[26][27][28] 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.

[29][30][31][32] On 26 November 2014, Chief Minister Ian Gorst 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.

[40][41][42] 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.

[49][50] 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.

[55] 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 charity gathered key support from members of church groups and wedding suppliers opposing the clause.

[79][80] Jersey is part of the Diocese of Salisbury, whose bishop, Stephen Lake, voted in favour of blessing same-sex unions.