Hong Kong authorities are set to introduce a bill to the legislature on 16 July that will recognise same-sex partnerships, with details of the proposed legislation published in the government gazette last week and submitted to the Legislative Council, according to multiple media reports.
Authorities said that “same-sex partnerships registered under the alternative framework” will not be “equivalent” to heterosexual marriages, and say they will “firmly” uphold “the monogamous and heterosexual marriage system.”
The bill proposes to recognise the relationships status of couples who have a marriage, partnership, or civil union registered in a jurisdiction outside Hong Kong so long as one of the individuals is a Hong Kong resident.
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Such couples will then be granted certain rights, such as rights to make hospital visits and access their partner’s health records, as well as rights pertaining to after-death arrangements.
If the bill is passed, the Hong Kong government will appoint a registrar of same-sex partnerships and set up a dedicated office.
A government spokesperson said: “The current proposal has fully taken into account the actual situations and overall interests of Hong Kong, and strived to achieve an appropriate balance. The government will continue to actively maintain close communication with the Legislative Council to implement the bill.”
