civil partnerships became legal in the uk in 2004.
civil partnerships became legal in the uk in 2004.
when did civil partnerships become legal in the uk?
2004
in june 2018, the supreme court ruled in the steinfeld-keidan case that restricting civil partnerships to same-sex couples was discriminatory and mandated that the government change the law, though did not set a timeline for doing so. in response, the prime minister announced in october 2018 that civil partnerships would be opened to heterosexual couples. legislation that requires the secretary of state to issue regulations amending the civil partnership act, so that opposite-sex couples may enter into civil partnerships, was passed by parliament on 15 march 2019. the bill received royal assent on 26 march 2019. the legislation went into effect on 26 may 2019. section 2 of the act requires the secretary of state to amend the civil partnership act 2004 by 31 december 2019, so that people of the opposite sex may enter into civil partnerships. this expansion of civil partnerships to opposite-sex couples applied only in england and wales, and not scotland or northern ireland. the scottish government announced in june 2019 it would introduce similar legislation later in the year. amendments passed to the northern ireland (executive formation) bill mean opposite-sex civil partnerships will also be expanded to couples in northern ireland on 13 january 2020, assuming a northern ireland executive is not formed by 21 october 2019.
civil partnership in the united kingdom
on 30 november 2011, the queensland parliament passed a bill allowing civil partnerships in the state. the legislation passed by a vote of 47 to 40, with those against including four votes from the australian labor party. the "civil partnerships act 2011" allowed for same-sex couples who are queensland residents to enter into a civil partnership. shortly after the change of government in the 2012 state elections, and following high profile advertisements for repeal of the law by katter's australian party, the centre-right lnp government passed the "civil partnerships and other legislation amendment act 2012". the new law changed the name from "civil partnership" to "registered relationship" and prohibited the state from offering ceremonies for those who do register their relationship in this manner. following the 2015 state election, which saw labor form minority government, the parliament passed (in december 2015) the "relationships (civil partnerships) and other acts amendment act 2015", which restored state-sanctioned ceremonies for same-sex and opposite-sex couples and once more changed regulations referring to "registered relationships" with "civil partnerships". the law came into effect following a number of administrative matters occurring, with civil partnerships resuming in the state on 2 april 2016.
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