Domestic Partnership Amendment Act 2022

What this bill does

This bill updates Bermuda's domestic partnership law following a March 2022 Privy Council ruling that overturned court decisions allowing same-sex marriage. It extends the "transitional period" when same-sex marriages were valid in Bermuda to protect couples who married between 2017-2022, while ensuring that going forward, same-sex couples can only enter domestic partnerships, not marriages.

If passed (voted YES)

• Same-sex marriages performed in Bermuda between May 2017 and March 2022 (except June-November 2018) would remain legally valid and protected
• Any same-sex couple trying to get married after March 14, 2022 would automatically have their application converted to a domestic partnership instead
• Legal uncertainty about the status of same-sex marriages performed during this period would be resolved

If rejected (voted NO)

• Same-sex couples who married in Bermuda between 2018-2022 could face legal uncertainty about whether their marriages are valid
• There would be no clear legal framework for handling same-sex marriage applications submitted after the March 2022 Privy Council ruling
• The law would remain unclear about which same-sex marriages from this period are legally recognized

Who it affects

This primarily affects same-sex couples who got married in Bermuda or on Bermuda-registered ships between 2017-2022, as well as any same-sex couples who want to formalize their relationships in Bermuda going forward.