The Children and Education Minister has refused to commit to lodging a draft law before the election to remove discrimination when it comes to same-sex couples in Jersey.
That's despite Deputy Louise Doublet winning a States vote asking for that to happen.
The new law would give same-sex parents full parental responsibility for their own children.
Deputy Scott Wickenden argued for more time to get the work done - he says the timescale to lodge this important legislation is 'unrealistic'.
Deputy Doublet has asked whether it would be lodged pre-election and when.
In response, Deputy Wickenden says it's simply not possible to give a firm indication on that - but that officers are working hard and real progress is being made.
"As I set out during the debate my officers have discussed with stakeholders the request made in the proposition. My officers have also advised me throughout that it is highly improbable that a properly consulted law that fully addresses all the issues in this policy area could be lodged pre-election.
I am not happy to bring forward rushed legislation to the assembly and the law must be absolutely correct without any possibility of unintended consequences.
The way to achieve this is through robust discussion between policy officers and law drafters and full and proper consultation with all stakeholders, anything less would do a disservice to both same-sex and opposite sex-parents who will all be subject to the provisions contained within the draft Law."
Same-sex couples in Jersey have to go through a lengthy and often expensive court process to make sure both have parental responsibility.
Deputy Doublet lodged the proposition to get the work done quickly, after growing frustrated at a lack of action since first raising the issue six years ago.
Kaye Nicholson-Horn's wife Chantal couldn't go on their son Silas' birth certificate when he was born in 2016, so they had to go through a court process to get get her that parental responsibility.
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