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Jersey allows civil partnerships for same-sex couples. The bill for legalisation was signed by the Queen on 14 December 2011 and registered by the royal court on 6 January 2012. The law took effect on 2 April 2012.
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Civil partnerships
In August 2009, it was announced by the Chief Minister that a civil partnerships bill would be drafted and be due for introduction to the Assembly of the States of Jersey 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. The draft bill legalising civil partnerships was approved by the Council of Ministers on 24 March 2011 and introduced to the Assembly on 31 May. It was passed on 12 July 2011. On 14 December 2011, the bill received royal assent and was registered by the royal court on 6 January 2012. In March 2012, the government issued orders implementing the law, which took effect on 2 April 2012.
Same-sex marriage
On 28 May 2014, the Deputy Sam Mézec of Reform Jersey party submitted a proposition asking the Assembly of the States of Jersey 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. On 8 July 2014, the Assembly voted for the 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, the Chief Minister Ian Gorst submitted a report, which includes a commitment to introduce legislation allowing same-sex couples to get married 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 Chief Minister introduce for approval by the States, no later than end January 2017, the draft legislation necessary to implement it. It was approved by the Assembly on 22 September 2015.