LGBT News Same-sex marriage bill

Hope this all goes well! If it does go through, then I guess the UK will be a little less... *puts on shades* off-KILTer.

 

:lol:

Stage one's an improvement. I hope it goes well!

 

Majority of MSPs publicly back it, village idiot Keith O'Brian is disgraced, Brian Souter hasn't tried to organise a private referendum about it and various traditional marriage advocates from the States can't find Scotland on the map or are barred from entering the country (please stop trying Westboro Baptist)

It's in the bag.

EDIT: If anyone fancies a look at the text - http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/Bills/64983.aspx

The only stumbling block is what protections will be given to those that don't want to conduct the ceremonies. The plan supposedly is going to be an opt in system which I believe a lot of people on the pro side are perfectly happy with.

 

Vote's done;

Yes 98
No 15
Abstentions 5

:eusa_clap

And it is an opt in system that's being used for religious institutions.

EDIT: The debate as it happened - http://www.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/scotland-25020721

 

I sat and watched the debate and the majority of the speeches were good and positive, with a few notable exceptions (John Mason, Margaret whatever-her-name-is). Don't think there's any doubt that it'll go through but I also worry about what protections will be given and it always annoys me when people claim they can't be called homophobic for being, erm, homophobic!

 

Can someone explain how a bill becomes a law in Scotland? I could tell you all the steps in the American system, but I don't know a thing about Scottish politics.

 

If its anything like it was in england, slowly.

 

Parliament has you covered - Legislative process - Visit & Learn :  Scottish Parliament

There's also stuff in there about devolved and reserved matters.

 

That's a great link to explain it in a simple way.

The main issues that'll be discussed more around this Bill are likely to be the removal of the spousal veto for gender reassignment (where a husband/wife can basically say no - this was kept in the England and Wales Act) and 'protections' which some want to see so a church / minister's right not to opt in to same sex marriages can't be challenged legally.

If it's agreed at the third reading then there's a four week period where certain people can make legal challenges before it becomes law. This is more for people claiming that the Scottish Parliament doesn't have the power to decide on a matter (something like if we go to war is still decided by UK Parliament at Westminster for example) so it's not that those against can challenge it on principle.

Think at the moment we're expecting all this to finish late January / early Feb. There's some reports at the moment that the England and Wales Bill that was voted through in July hasn't been implemented yet because they're waiting for Scotland to catch up - and hope to have all the first weddings happening together summer next year. Think that's a bit optimistic for Scotland. Unlikely they'll start happening before 2015. Which could be an issue if the Independence Referendum (from the rest of the UK) is won next year. Whole other issue though!