Timeline: Repealing Part 377A and amending the Structure to guard the definition of marriage

Aug 21, 2022

In his Nationwide Day Rally speech, Mr Lee mentioned Singapore will repeal Section 377A. His announcement got here 15 years after Parliament final debated the legislation in 2007. 

Mr Lee mentioned there’s a “vital danger” of the legislation being struck down in a future courtroom problem, on the grounds that it breaches the equal safety provision within the Structure. 

Apart from repealing Part 377A, the Consitution may even be amended to guard the definition of marriage from being challenged constitutionally within the courts. 

“Many nationwide insurance policies rely on this definition of marriage, together with public housing, schooling, adoption guidelines, promoting requirements, movie classification. The Authorities has no intention of adjusting the definition of marriage, nor these insurance policies,” mentioned Mr Lee. 

The Employees’ Occasion mentioned after the Nationwide Day Rally that the celebration recognises the basic proper of individuals to dwell free from concern and discrimination and to be handled equally beneath the legislation. 

It added that it could participate in the debate in Parliament on the repeal and the proposed change to the Structure regarding marriage. 

Aug 22, 2022

In an interview with CNA, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong mentioned the difficulty of whether or not to repeal Part 377A doesn’t meet the “very high” bar for a nationwide referendum. 

In the identical interview, Minister for Tradition, Group and Youth Edwin Tong, who can be Second Minister for Legislation, mentioned the present authorized place on Part 377A is a “very untidy compromise”, with the legislation being weak to authorized challenges. 

Which means that it was “not potential” for the Authorities to “maintain to (the) established order for for much longer”, mentioned Mr Tong.  

The Training Ministry mentioned that schooling insurance policies and college curriculums will remain anchored on prevailing household values and social norms. 

The Ministry of Communications and Data mentioned that LGBT media content material will continue to warrant higher age ratings.

September 2022

On Sep 1, Mr Shanmugam mentioned the dangers of a authorized problem to the definition of marriage in Singapore have been “starkly illustrated” by a Supreme Court decision in India to recognise several types of households. 

Mr Shanmugam mentioned that the courts in Singapore have prevented making such rulings, leaving them as an alternative to Parliament.

Talking at a convention on Sep 7, Mr Wong mentioned the repeal of Part 377A was “not a done deal” as a result of it needed to be mentioned in Parliament first, and famous the “very robust” views on either side. 

Later in September, panellists at a dialogue co-hosted by the Singapore Academy of Legislation and the Legislation Society of Singapore additionally mentioned if Part 377A just isn’t repealed, the chance of a profitable authorized problem could have been a real one. 

Oct 20, 2022

Payments to repeal Part 377A and to amend the Structure to guard the definition of marriage had been each tabled in Parliament for their first readings. 

Mr Shanmugam tabled the Penal Code (Modification) Invoice to repeal the colonial-era legislation, whereas Minister for Social and Household Growth Masagos Zulkifli launched the Structure of the Republic of Singapore (Modification No. 3) Invoice to amend the Structure. 

In a joint assertion, MSF and MHA mentioned the Authorities had consulted stakeholders extensively earlier than making the choice to repeal Part 377A. 

“From the nationwide viewpoint, non-public sexual behaviour between consenting adults doesn’t increase any law-and-order points,” mentioned the assertion.#

Nov 28, 2022

Each Payments to repeal Part 377A and amend the Structure to guard the definition of marriage are set to be debated in Parliament.