News

States Meeting Summary 25 March

Public Business 

The Assembly began the meeting with the resumption of their debate on the proposal to replace the current Trans Inclusion Guidance for schools and education settings. 

P.14 Treating Children as Children 

Deputy Philip Bailhache requested that the Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning replace the existing Trans Inclusion Guidance for schools and education settings, with the document entitled ‘Treating children as children: a safeguarding approach to trans-identifying children and adolescents in Jersey schools.’ 

The Deputy has also proposed an amendment which would allow the Minister to make any minor modifications to that document, that the Minister deems appropriate.  

Proposition: bit.ly/4sivNgb  

Amendment: bit.ly/4b14CiO 

The Assembly voted to REJECT the Deputy's proposition, as amended, with 35 votes for, 5 votes against and 5 abstentions. 

Visit our website to see how members voted. 

You can watch the resumption of the debate from the beginning of this morning’s meeting.  

P.21 Draft Sea Fisheries (Atlantic Bluefin Tuna) Regulations 202- 

The Environment Minister, Deputy Steve Luce, proposed Regulations which will allow Jersey's licensed fisheries to sustainably use the growing stocks of Bluefin Tuna in Island waters after the International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna was extended to the Island by the UK.  

These Regulations make it an offence to fish for the tuna without a permit, unless the fishing is purely recreationally via rod and line, and the fish is immediately returned to the water alive.  

Read more: bit.ly/4rQ8Dh9 

The Assembly voted to APPROVE the Ministers proposition with 44 votes for, 1 vote against and 1 abstention. 

Visit our website to see how members voted. 

Skip 1 hour and 55 minutes into this morning’s meeting to listen to the debate in full.  

P.22 Draft Planning and Building (Jersey) Amendment Law 202- 

The Minister for the Environment, Deputy Steve Luce, proposed a new Law which would reinstate the Minister's ability to prepare an interim revision of an Island Plan or of the Bridging Island Plan during their active periods rather than requiring a full review.  

This is to enable partial amendments to respond to new priorities and changing circumstances.  

The new Law would also enable the States Assembly to make Regulations to set out the procedures to be followed when lodging a new Island Plan, amendments to it, or an interim revision. 

Read more: bit.ly/4alwez8 

The Assembly voted to APPROVE the Minister’s proposition with 45 votes for, 0 votes against and 0 abstentions. 

Visit our website to see how members voted. 

Skip 2 hours and 23 minutes into this morning’s meeting to listen to the debate in full. 

P.24 Draft Public Finances Law (States Funds) (Jersey) Amendment Regulations 202-. 

The Minister for Treasury and Resources, Deputy Elaine Millar, proposed the Draft Public Finances Law (States Fund) (Jersey) Amendment Regulations 202-. 

These Regulations seek to replace the Consolidated Fund with two new funds: The General Revenue Fund – for day-to-day spending; and the Jersey Capital Investment Fund to enable sufficient funds to be available for medium to long-term capital projects. 

The Regulations also allow the Minister to approve an additional withdrawal from any fund if the amount required for a head of expenditure exceeds the approved amount and there is a surplus available in the fund that would cover the additional withdrawal. 

Read more: bit.ly/3NkJLPR 

The Assembly voted to APPROVE the Minister’s proposition with 44 votes for, 0 votes against and 0 abstentions. 

Visit our website to see how members voted. 

Skip 3 hours and 14 minutes into this morning’s meeting to listen to the beginning of the debate, and go to the start of this afternoon’s meeting to hear the conclusion.  

P.25 Draft Director Disqualification Sanctions (Jersey) Amendment Law 202- 

The Minister for External Relations, Deputy Ian Gorst, proposed amendments to two Laws to ensure that anyone who is subject to Director Disqualification Sanctions cannot be appointed as a Director of a Jersey company or as a Manager of a Limited Liability Company (LLC) unless they have been granted a licence under the Sanctions and Asset-Freezing (Implementation of External Sanctions) (Jersey) Order 2021. 

Read more: bit.ly/4tfa8XH 

The Assembly voted to APPROVE the Minister’s proposition with a standing vote.  

Skip 31 minutes into this afternoon’s meeting to hear the debate in full.  

P.26 Draft Water Law (Jersey) Amendment Regulations 202- 

The Minister for the Environment, Deputy Steve Luce, proposed introducing a maximum concentration level for PFAS in Jersey's drinking water. Under the proposal, the level would be set at 4 ng/L (nanograms per litre) and should be achieved within the next five years.  

This level has been recommended by the PFAS Scientific Advisory Panel.  

Read more: bit.ly/4bKVS2B 

The Assembly voted to approve the Principles, but the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Scrutiny Panel has called in this legislation for full scrutiny which will mean that as this is the last debate in this political term, the Proposition will fall away and need to be reintroduced next term.  

Skip 39 minutes into this afternoon’s meeting to hear the debate in full. 

P.29 Draft Cremation (Jersey) Amendment Regulations 202- 

The Minister for Health and Social Services, Deputy Tom Binet, proposed an update to Jersey's cremation regulations to: 

• Remove the current rule that prevents cremation when a person is known to have left a written direction to the contrary 

• Make clear which 'near' relatives can apply for a cremation. 

• Allow a wider range of Jersey residents to countersign cremation applications, while setting out who cannot do so because of their relationship with the applicant or deceased. 

• Update and modernise the application form to reflect the changes and include new questions about medical implants. 

Read more: bit.ly/4bJk9ED 

The Assembly voted to APPROVE the Minister’s proposition with 40 votes for, 3 votes against and 0 abstentions. 

Visit our website to see how members voted. 

Skip 2 hours and 35 minutes into this afternoon’s meeting to hear the debate in full. 

P.30 The Care Experienced Fund 

The Minister for Children and Families, Connétable Richard Vibert, proposed establishing a States Fund to support individuals aged 25 and over who have been in Jersey’s care system. 
 
The Care Experience Fund would receive revenue generated from the sale of the Aviemore site. 

Read more: bit.ly/46VjT3C 

The Assembly voted to APPROVE the Minister’s proposition with 46 votes for, 0 votes against and 0 abstentions. 

Visit our website to see how members voted. 

Skip 3 hours and 18 minutes into this afternoon’s meeting to hear the debate in full. 

P.34 Lobbying Guidance and Engagement Code for elected Members of the States. 

The Privileges and Procedures Committee asked the Assembly to approve a voluntary code for elected Members in relation to lobbying.  

The proposal would establish a lobbying register for Members to record any engagement they have with a lobbyist, which would then be available for the public to view. 

Read more: bit.ly/3MZHaLb 

Skip 3 hours and 41 minutes into this afternoon’s meeting to hear the start of the debate. This will resume tomorrow morning. 

Adjournment  

The States Assembly then adjourned and will reconvene at 9:30am on Thursday 26 March 2026.