MOI TO ALLOW CROSS-COUNTY SAME-SEX PARTNERSHIP REGISTRATION|擴大同婚註記 內政部擬先採跨縣市登記

Last week, a historic constitutional ruling effectively set Taiwan on the path toward the legalization of same-sex marriage. But before that day comes, 11 counties and municipalities in Taiwan currently allow two people of the same sex to register as partners. Once registered, partners are given quasi-spousal status, which allows them to make medical decisions or apply for passports on behalf of their partners. And now, more cities and counties say they will move in this direction, too. But civil groups say instead of the same-sex partnership, the bigger priority should be same-sex marriage. The Council of Grand Justices recently ruled that the government must enshrine marriage rights for same-sex couples in law within two years. However, there have been reports of same-sex couples being refused registration at the Household Registration Office. The Ministry of the Interior has now sent official letters to local governments requesting that they allow same-sex partnership registration. Some have asked whether residents of localities with no such system can register with the Ministry of the Interior itself, but the Executive Yuan said that this is a local responsibility, but that it is unlikely that local governments will still refuse. ==HSU KUO-YUNG Executive Yuan Spokesperson== After Interpretation 748, and this Ministry of the Interior letter, I think local authorities will not refuse. Currently, eleven counties and cities around Taiwan allow same-sex partnership registration. Four more including Hsinchu City, Nantou County, Pingtung County, and Kinmen County have verbally expressed their intention to implement such a system. As for the rest, the Ministry is planning to allow registration across county lines. ==CHANG WAN-YI Director, Dept. of Household Registration, MOI== Taking into consideration how to make this service convenient, as well as where the local responsibility for such systems lies, we will coordinate allowing same-sex partners to go to other counties or cities to register their partnerships. Currently, same-sex partnership registrations allow partners to act as medical proxies, apply for family leave when their partners are ill, and apply for passports on behalf of their partners. But LGBT rights groups still hope that the Civil Code can be amended soon. ==JENNIFER LU Senior Researcher, Taiwan Tongzhi Hotline Association== We are still calling on the Executive Yuan and other executive and legislative agencies to work together, and pass a Civil Code amendment during the extraordinary session. Then things won't be so complicated, with different rules in different places. The central government should guarantee equality for all. As of the end of April, there were 2,060 registered same-sex partnerships in Taiwan. The Executive Yuan will hold a meeting dedicated to the topic next Wednesday. Translated by JOHN CHEN 目前國內有11個縣市辦理同婚註記，行政院指示內政部上週五發函其他縣市政府了解辦理同婚註記的意願，目前包括新竹市、南投縣、屏東縣和金門縣等四個縣市都口頭表示將會朝同意辦理的方向進行，至於其他縣市，內政部表示會先採跨縣市登記的配套措施。不過同婚團體還是希望政府盡快修改民法，保障同性伴侶的權益。 大法官釋憲要求政府在兩年內有所做為，保障同性婚姻，不過傳出同性伴侶到戶政事務所辦理同婚註記卻遭到拒絕。行政院祕書長陳美伶指示內政部發函各縣市政府辦理同婚註記，外界關注如果有縣市不願辦理，是否能到內政部民政司註記，不過行政院表示這是地方政府職權，而且在大法官釋憲後，應該各縣市都會願意辦理。 ==行政院發言人 徐國勇== 基本上大法官748號解釋出來 以後又加上內政部的這個公文 我想地方主管機關 所謂拒絕這個情況 應該不會發生吧 目前為止全台灣有十一個縣市開放辦理同婚註記，包括台北市、新北市、宜蘭縣、桃園市、新竹縣、台中市、彰化縣、嘉義市、嘉義縣、台南市、何高雄市，內政部上週五發函其他縣市政府後，包括新竹市、南投縣、屏東縣和金門縣都口頭向內政部表示朝向同意辦理的方向進行，至於其他縣市，內政部將先採跨縣市登記的方式。 ==內政部戶政司長 張琬宜== 所以我們是考慮到 就是便民的服務 然後以及我們目前 這個系統註記的權責 所以就是我們會協調 跨區的部份可以讓同性伴侶 到其他的縣市來受理 這個同性伴侶的註記 目前同婚註記後的權利包括，以關係人之身份簽署醫療同意書，同性伴侶重病時可申請家庭照顧假，以及代同性伴侶申辦護照等等項目，不過同婚團體還是希望政府能夠盡快修改民法。 ==台灣同志諮詢熱線協會資深研究員呂欣潔== 所以我們都還是呼籲說 行政院跟行政單位 跟立法單位可以一起努力 我們在臨時會的時候 可以儘快通過民法修正案的版本 那就不會有這麼複雜 各地有不一樣的狀況 由中央統一來做 這個平等權的施行 到四月底為止，全台共有2060對同性伴侶辦理同婚註記，行政院專案小組也將在下週三開會針對相關議題進行討論。 記者 張志雄 張梓嘉 台北報導