Overview

This bill proposes to amend the Civil Partnership Act 2004 to allow opposite-sex couples to enter into civil partnerships, mirroring the rights currently available to same-sex couples.

Description

The core change introduced by the Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Amendment) Bill is the removal of the restriction limiting civil partnerships to same-sex couples. The bill specifically amends Section 1(1) of the 2004 Act by deleting the phrase "of the same sex." This effectively opens civil partnerships to heterosexual couples. The bill also sets out the short title of the new act and confirms its geographical extent, which is the same as the original Civil Partnership Act 2004.

Government Spending

The bill doesn't directly specify any changes to government spending. The implementation costs are likely to be minimal, primarily involving updating administrative processes and forms to accommodate applications from opposite-sex couples. No specific figures are provided in the bill text.

Groups Affected

This bill primarily affects:

• Opposite-sex couples: They will gain the right to enter into civil partnerships, providing them with legal recognition of their relationship and associated rights.
• Government agencies: These agencies will need to adapt their processes to accommodate applications from opposite-sex couples seeking civil partnerships.
• Legal professionals: Lawyers specializing in family law will need to adapt their practice to include the broader scope of civil partnerships.

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