Hong Kong lawmakers finish scrutinising same-sex couples bill clauses in 2 days

Hong Kong lawmakers have taken two days to complete a clause-by-clause examination of a bill to recognise certain rights for same-sex couples, despite strong opposition in the city’s legislature.

Legislators raised 33 questions during two bills committee meetings on Monday, with their concerns including criminal offences associated with the proposed registration regime for same-sex couples.

Twenty-eight questions were raised when the bill was first discussed on Friday.

The Registration of Same-sex Partnerships Bill is the government’s answer to a 2023 ruling from the Court of Final Appeal that gave authorities two years to draw up laws setting out “core rights” for same-sex couples, but did not outline what they might be.

A source earlier told the Post that the government would apply to the court for an extension in fulfilling the ruling, as its deadline of October 27 was drawing near.

Lawmaker Chan Yung said the bills committee that he chaired would report to the Legislative Council’s House Committee to propose a date for resuming the second reading.