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Iceland : Recognized partnership
law, 1996
Texts/
Iceland 		___________________________________________________
[Bill] [Remarks]

1995-96
1065 years since founding the Parliament
120th legislative assembly

1070th decision on the recognized partnership
Issued by the Great Commission

The Great Commission has processed the issue and received deliberations of the child protection authorities, the bishop of Iceland, the Priests' Association of Iceland as well as Samtökin-78 (editor's note: i.e. the Icelandic Gay Lib Org).

According to the proposal, two persons of the same sex can have their partnership officially recognised, which then entitles them to the same rights and obligations as those living in a marriage. In such a partnership both partners can succeed to each other's property, and the partnership is on a par with marriage as regards the tax, insurance and social legislation. However, the acts on adoption and artificial conception are not adapted to partnerships of persons of the same sex.

The Commission suggests that the Bill be enacted after the following changes.

6

Subsection 1 - 3 to be replaced by the following: "What is said on adoption and artificial conception does not apply to recognized partnership."

8

The following changes:

The words 2nd and 3rd subsection to be replaced by 2-4 subsections. After the first subsection a new phrase to be inserterd as follows: "the head of the police district or a judge will arbitrate according to the subsection 42 of the marriage act."

9

The words "1 July 1996" to be replaced by "27 June 1996".

The first change is due to the recent act of the Parliament on artificial conception requiring that what is said in the 3rd subsection of the Section 6 is deleted, as the law does not mention the sex of the parties of a marriage any more.

The second change is providing that the head of the police district or a judge shall seek conciliation if a partnership is ending in separation. The proposal does not envisage a confirmation of a partnership by the church, and thus it is just that the priests do not have to participate in the conciliation, as required in some of the provisions of the marriage act. The third change has been introduced according to a wish expressed by Samtökin -78, that the Bill be enacted on 27 June, being the International Day for Human Rights for Sexual Minorities.

Jùhanna Sigurdardùttir participated in the Commission meetings and agrees to the proposal.

In the Parliament on 23 May 1996

Sùlveig Pätursdöttir, Jùn Kristjansson. Hjalmar Jönsson. Gudny Gudbjùrnsdöttir. Sighvatur Bjùrgvinsson. Kristjan Palsson. Arni R. Arnason, Gmundur Jönasson. Valgerdur Sverrisdöttir.

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