Parliament: Transgender Bill by Hon. Evarist Bartolo [English / Malti]

http://www.parlament.mt/motion11_198

Parliamentary Records: Motions - Eleventh Legislature : Motion No. 198

- Private Members Bill - Gender Identity Bill

- Presented by Hon Evarist Bartolo MP

ATT DWAR L-IDENTITÀ TAL-ĠENERU

Biex jitwaqqfu Reġistru ta' Persuni Transġeneri u l-proċedura għar-rikonniximent tal-ġeneru ta' persuna.

1. It-titolu fil-qosor ta' dan l-Att hu l-At dwar l-Identità tal-Ġeneru.

2. F'dan l-Att, sakemm ir-rabta tal-kliem ma tkunx titlob xort'oħra:

"Direttur" tfisser id-Direttur tar-Reġistru Pubbliku;

3. (1) Għandu jinżamm fir-Reġistru Pubbliku f’Malta u f’Għawdex reġistru, li jkun jissejjaħ ir­Reġistru tal-Persuni Transġeneri (hawnhekk iżjed ‘il quddiem imsejjaħ "ir-Reġistru"), li fih jitniżżlu dawk ir-reġistrazzjonijiet speċifikat f’dan L-Att, iżda ebda reġistrazzjonijiet oħra.

(2) Fir-Reġistru miżmum fl-Uffiċju tar-Reġistru Pubbliku f’Malta għandhom jitniżżlu r­reġistrazzjonijiet dwar kull persuna li l-att tat-twelid tagħha jkun reġistrat f’dak l-Uffiċju jew li ma jkunx reġistrat f’xi Uffiċju tar-Reġistru Pubbliku f’dawn il-Gżejjer, u fir-Reġistru miżmum fl-Uffiċju tar-Reġistru Pubbliku f’Għawdex għandhom jitniżżlu r-reġistrazzjonijiet dwar kull persuna li l-att tat-­twelid tagħha jkun reġistrat f’dak l-uffiċju.

(3) Kopja awtentikata ta' dik ir-reġistrazzjoni għandha, sa kemm ma jiġix pruvat il-kuntrarju, ttieħed bħala prova tal-kontenuti tagħha bħallikieku kienet kopja awtentikata ta' att tat-twelid.

(4) Id-Direttur għandu jara li indiċi tar-Reġistru jsir u jinżamm fl-Uffiċju tar-Reġistru Pubbliku f’Malta u f’Għawdex; u kull persuna kollha d-dritt li tfittex f’dak l-indiċi u li tikseb kopja awtentikata ta' xi reġistrazzjoni ffirmata mid-Direttur dwar kollox b'dawk l-istess kondizzjonijiet dwar ħlas ta' drittijiet u xort'oħra li mutatis mutandis huma applikabbli skont it-Titolu VIII tal-Kapitolu 16 tal-Liġijiet ta' Malta, dwar tfittix fir-reġistri miżmuma fir-Reġistru Pubbliku u dwar l-għoti minn dak l-Uffiċju ta' kopji jew traduzzjonijiet awtentikati ta' reġistrazzjonijiet fir-reġistri tal-atti tat-twelid, żwieġ u mewt.

(5) Id-Direttur għandu, b'żieda għar-Reġistru u l-indiċi tiegħu, iżomm dawk ir-reġistri u kotba oħra, u jagħmel dawk ir-reġistrazzjonijiet fihom, li jkunu meħtieġa biex tiġi nnottata u tkun tista’ titnissel il-­konnessjoni bejn reġistrazzjoni fir-reġistru tal-atti tat-twelid li tkun ġiet immarkata "Transġeneru" skont id-disposizzjonijiet ta' dan l-Att, u kull reġistrazzjoniji korrispondenti fir-Reġistru; iżda reġistri u l-kotba miżmuma skont dan is-subartikolu kif ukoll d-dokumentazzjoni kkommunikata lid-Direttur ma jkunux, l-anqas ebda indiċi tagħhom ma jkun, miftuħa għall-ispezzjon jew tfittix pubbliku, l­anqas, ħlief taħt ordni ta' qorti, ma għandu d-Direttur jagħti xi tagħrif li jkun hemm fih jew xi kopja jew estratt minn xi reġistri, kotba jew dokumentazzjoni bħal dawk li xi persuna li ma tkunx persuna li tkun laħqet l-eta ta' tmintax-il sena u li għaliha jkun jirreferixxi t-tagħrif, il-kopja jew l-estratt; u f’każijiet eċċezzjonali kull uffiċjal pubbliku awtorizzat kif imiss għal hekk mill-Ministru responsabbli għall-ġustizzja.

(6) Id-disposizzjonijiet tal-artikolu 238(2), ta1-artikolu 245(1), ta1-artikoli 248, 249, 252, 260 u 261 u, bla ħsara għad-disposizzjonijiet tal-artikolu 269, l-artikolu 251 għandhom mutatis mutandis igħoddu għar-Reġistru u reġistrazzjonijiet fih, għal estratti minnu u għal ċertifikati u dokumenti oħra dwaru jew li għandhom x'jaqsmu miegħu1.
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1. Ara l-kumment rilevanti fit-taqsima tan-Noti, aktar ‘l isfel.

4. (1) Kull persuna li jkollha d-domiċilju tagħha f’Malta tista' titlob lid-Direttur biex issir reġistrazzjoni fir-rigward tagħha fir-Reġistru.

(2) It-talba msemmija fis-subartikolu (1) għandha ssir bil-miktub u għandha tiġi kkunsidrata mid-­Direttur biss jekk mehmuża magħha jkun hemm dawn kollha li ġejjin:
(a) kopja awtentikata tal-att tat-twelid tal-persuna;
(b) dikjarazzjoni ċara u mhux ekwivoka mill-persuna illi l-ġeneru tagħha ma jikkorrispondix ma' dik assenjata lilha fl-att tat-twelid tagħha; u
(ċ) speċifikazzjoni dwar il-partikolaritajiet tal-ġeneru li l-persuna qed titlob lid-Direttur jirreġistra fir-Reġistru.

(3) Id-disposizzjonijiet tas-subartikolu (1) għandhom ikunu japplikaw għal atti tat-twelid barranin reġistrati f’Malta.

5. (1) Meta d-Direttur jirċievi t-talba bil-miktub tal-persuna, kif imsemmi fl-artikolu qabel dan, għandu minnufih jagħmel reġistrazzjoni fir-Reġistru, liema reġistrazzjoni għandha jkollha l-partikolaritajiet kollha tar-reġistrazzjoni dwar il-persuna fir-reġistru tal-atti tat-twelid, iżda din ir-reġistrazzjoni għandha tinkludi, minflok il-ġeneru speċifikat fl-att tat-twelid tal-­persuna, il-ġeneru indikat mill-persuna fit-talba tagħha.

(2) Id-Direttur, waqt li qed jagħmel ir-reġistrazzjoni, għandu jbiddel l-isem jew l-ismijiet tal-persuna kif indikati fir-reġistrazzjoni fir-reġistru tal-atti tat-twelid mal-isem jew l-ismijiet indikati mill-­persuna fit-talba tagħha, jekk hekk mitlub mill-persuna.

(3) Wara li jagħmel ir-reġistrazzjoni fir-Reġistru kif hawn fuq indikat, id-Direttur għandu minnufih jara li r-reġistrazzjoni dwar il-persuna fir-reġistru tal-atti tat-twelid tiġi mmarkata bil-kelma "Transġeneru".

6. (1) Ir-reġistrazzjoni fir-Reġistru jkollha efett minn dak in-nhar meta d-Direttur jagħmel ir­reġistrazzjoni jew meta r-reġistrazzjoni dwar il-persuna fir-Reġistru tal-atti tat-twelid tiġi mmarkata bil-kelma "Transġeneru", liema tiġri l-ewwel, u minn dik id-data 1l-persuna għandha titqies, għal kul skop ta' liġi, li hi tal-ġeneru indikat fir-Reġistru.

(2) Mingħajr preġudizzjoni għal dan, ir-reġistrazzjoni fir-Reġistru ma għandha b'ebda mod tolqot il-­jeddijiet u l-obbligi li jiġu mill-istat ta' ġenitur jew mir-relazzjoni ta' bejn il-persuna u l-ġenituri tagħha.

(3) Ir-reġistrazzjoni fir-Reġistru m'għandha bl-ebda moda jkollha effett fuq il-jeddijiet tal-persuna fir-­rigward ta' suċċessjoni, inklużi kull disposizzjonijiet testamentarji favuriha u magħmaula qabel id-­data msemmija fl-artikolu 6(1) ta' dan 1-Att.

7. (1) Persuna li fir-rigward tagħha saret reġistrazzjoni skont dan l-Att għandha, mingħajr dewmien wara d-data msemmija fl-artikolu 6(1), tirraporta l-fatt il-uffiċjal awtorizzat taħt 1-Att dwar il-Karta ta' Identità, li għandu joħroġ karta tal-identità li ġdida li tkun tindika l­ġeneru u l-isem jew l-ismijiet skond ir-reġistrazzjoni dwar il-persuna fir-Reġistru.

(2) Il-persuna jkollha wkoll il-jedd, wara li tħallas dak id-dritt li jista' jiġi ordnat u meta tippreżenta l-­karta tal-identità ġdida, li titlob li kull awtorità pubblika li jkollha jew li tista' toħroġ xi Ċertifikat jew dokument dwarha, tipprovdilha Ċertifikat jew dokument ġdid li jkun jindika l-ġeneru u l-isem jew l-­ismijiet skond il-karta tal-identità l-ġdid tagħha.

8. (1) Meta dan l-Att jidħol fis-seħħ, id-Direttur għandu jagħmel reġistrazzjonijiet fir-Reġistru għall-persuni fir-rigward tagħhom, qabel id-data ta' dħul fis-seħħ ta' dan l-Att, sarulhom annotazzjonijiet rigward il-partikolaritajiet dwar il-ġeneru tagħhom fuq ordni ta' qorti skond l-­artikolu 257B tal-Kodiċi Ċivili.

(2) Wara li jagħmel ir-reġistrazzjonijiet kif indikat fis-subartikolu (1), id-Direttur għandu jara li r­reġistrazzjonijiet dwar dawn l-imsemmija persuni fir-reġistru tal-atti tat-twelid jiġu mmarkati bil-­kelma "Transġeneru".

9. L-Artikoli 257A sa' 257D tal-Kodiċi Ċivili huma b'dan imħassra.


GENDER IDENTITY ACT

To establish the Transgender Persons Register and the procedure for recognition of a person's gender.

1. The title of this Act is the Gender Identity Act.

2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires:

"Director" means the Director of Public Registry;

3. (1) There shall be maintained at the Public Registry Office in Malta and in Gozo a register, to be called the Transgender Persons Register (hereinafter referred to as "the Register"), in which shall be made such entries as are specified in this Act, but no other entries.

(2) In the Register in Malta there shall be made entries relating to any person whose act of birth is registered in that Office or is not registered in any Public registry Office in these Islands, and in the Register maintained at the Public Registry Office in Gozo, there shall be made entries relating to any person whose act of birth is registered in that Office.

(3) A certified copy of an entry in the Register shall, until the contrary is proved, be received as evidence of its contents as if the copy were a certified copy of an act of birth.

(4) The Director shall cause an index of the Register to be made and kept in the Public Registry Office in Malta and in Gozo; and every person shall be entitled to search that index and to have a certified copy of any entry signed by the Director in the Register in all respects upon and subject to the same conditions as to payment of fees and otherwise as mutatis mutandis are applicable under Title VIII of Chapter 16 of the Laws of Malta, in respect of searches in the register books kept in the Public Registry and in respect of the supply from that Office of certified copies or translations of entries in the register books of the acts of birth, marriage and death.

(5) The Director shall, in addition to the Register and the index thereof, keep such other registers and books, and make such entries therein, as may be necessary to record and make traceable the connection between an entry in the register book of acts of birth which has been marked "Transgender" pursuant to this Act, and any corresponding entry in the Register; but the registers and books kept under this sub-article as well as the documentation communicated to the Director by virtue of this Act shall not be, nor shall any index thereof be, open to public inspection or search, nor, except under an order of a court, shall the Director furnish any information, books or documentation to any person other than a person who has attained the age of eighteen years and to whom that information, copy or extract relates; and in exceptional cases any public officer duly authorised for that purpose by the Minister responsible for justice.

(6) The provisions of sub-article (2) of article 238, sub-article (1) of article 245, articles 248, 249, 252, 260, 261 and, subject to the provisions of article 269, article 2511 of the Civil Code shall mutatis mutandis apply to the Register and entries therein, extracts therefrom and certificates and other documents relating thereto or connected therewith.

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1. See the relevant comment under the Notes section below.
.

4. (1) It shall be lawful for any person domiciled in Malta to request the Director to make an entry in his2 respect in the Register.

(2) The request mentioned in the sub-article (1) shall be made in writing and shall only be considered by the Director if accompanied with all of the following:
(a) a certified copy of the person's act of birth;
(b) a clear and unequivocal statement by the applicant that his gender does not correspond to that assigned in his act of birth; and
(c) a specification of the gender particulars the applicant is requesting the Director to enter in the Register.

(3) The provisions of sub-article (1) shall apply to foreign acts of birth registered in Malta.

5. (1) Upon receipt of the applicant's written request as specified in the preceding article, the Director shall promptly make an entry in the Register, which entry shall replicate the particulars in the entry in the register book of acts of birth relative to the applicant, yet which shall indicate, in replacement of the gender as specified in the applicant's act of birth, the gender specified by the applicant in his request.

(2) If so requested by the applicant in his request to the Director, in making the entry in the Register the Director shall replace the applicant's name or names as indicated in the entry in the book of acts of birth with the name or names indicated by the applicant in his request.

(3) Immediately after making the entry in the Register as prescribed above, the Director shall cause the entry in the register book of acts of birth relative to the applicant to be marked with the word "Transgender".

6. (1) The entry in the Register shall be effective as from the day when the Director shall make the entry or when the entry in the register book of acts of birth relative to the applicant is marked with the word "Transgender", whichever occurs first, and from this date the applicant shall be considered, for all purposes of law, as belonging to the gender indicated in the Register.

(2) Without prejudice to the above, the entry in the Register shall in no way affect the applicant's rights and obligations arising out of parenthood or out of the relationship between the applicant and his parents.

(3) The entry in the Register shall in no way affect the applicant's succession rights, including any testamentary disposition made in his favour prior to the date referred to in article 6(1).

7. (1) The applicant, in respect of whom an entry has been made in the Register in accordance with this Act shall, without delay after the date referred to in article 6(1), report the fact to the authorised officer under the Identity Card Act who shall issue a new identity card indicating the gender and name or names in accordance with the person's entry in the Register.

(2) The applicant shall also, on the payment of such fee as may be prescribed, have the right, on the production of his new Identity Card, to demand that any public authority,

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2. Under Maltese law, all references to 'he', including variations thereof, are to be read as also referring to 'her', and corresponding variations thereof.
which has or may issue any certificate or document relative to him, provide him with a fresh certificate or document indicating the gender and name or names in accordance with his new Identity Card.

8. (1) Upon the coming into force of this Act, the Director shall make entries in the Register for all persons in respect of who, before the date of coming into force of this Act, annotations were made in the particulars relating to their gender following court orders by virtue of Article 257B of the Civil Code.

(2) Immediately after making the entry in the Register as prescribed in sub-article (1), the Director shall cause the entries in the register book of acts of birth relative to the afore­mentioned persons to be marked with the word "Transgender".

9. Articles 257A to 257D of the Civil Code, both inclusive, are hereby repealed.