Parliament will return on Friday, 19 June, for the State Opening of the 2026-2027 Session, launching a new legislative year that will begin with three government bills and a broad slate of opposition proposals focused on affordability, housing, business opportunities and environmental protection.

The ceremonial opening, scheduled for 2pm, will feature the Throne Speech by Governor Jane Owen, who is expected to outline the government’s legislative priorities and policy agenda for the year ahead.

The new session follows the close in mid-May of the 2025-2026 parliamentary year, during which MPs answered 126 parliamentary questions, tabled 107 papers, reports and petitions, passed 17 government motions, approved 30 bills and adopted 11 private members’ motions.

Alongside the governor’s address, lawmakers are expected to begin debating measures ranging from child welfare and financial assistance to business regulation, climate resilience and labour rights.

Legislative agenda

Leading the legislative agenda are three bills dealing with child welfare, financial assistance and government oversight of business licensing. They include the Status of Children (Amendment) Bill, the Financial Assistance (Amendment) Bill and the Local Companies (Control) (Amendment) Bill.

The Status of Children (Amendment) Bill, 2026, would modernise aspects of Cayman’s parentage laws. One of the main changes is that 16- and 17-year-olds would be able to consent to DNA testing themselves in parentage cases, rather than relying on an adult to do so on their behalf. It would also make it easier for some of these cases to be handled in the Summary Court rather than the Grand Court.

The Local Companies (Control) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, would give government the power to temporarily stop issuing new business licences if it believes doing so is in the public interest. For example, it could pause approvals in a particular industry if there were concerns about economic impacts. Businesses that had already submitted applications before a freeze took effect would still have their applications considered.

The Financial Assistance (Amendment) Bill, 2026 would make it easier for Caymanians returning home from overseas to qualify for government financial assistance. Instead of having to live in Cayman for eight months before becoming eligible, they would only need to have been back for three months.

10 motions up for debate

Alongside the government’s legislative agenda, opposition members have filed 10 private members’ motions spanning affordability, housing, economic participation and climate resilience.

Opposition Deputy Leader Kenneth Bryan’s motion seeks to increase the income thresholds used to determine eligibility for financial assistance, arguing that rising utility bills, food prices and inflation have left many working families struggling despite earning above current limits. The proposal would raise the qualifying household income thresholds by $1,000 across all categories and introduce annual reviews linked to inflation.

Deputy Speaker and George Town West MP Pearlina McGaw-Lumsden has filed motions focused on cost-of-living pressures and Caymanian economic participation. Her proposals would increase the personal duty-free allowance from $500 to $800 and review real estate laws with the aim of restricting brokerage work primarily to Caymanians and certain Cayman-connected residents.

Opposition Leader Joey Hew has filed a series of motions focused on economic development, business growth and environmental sustainability. One would establish stronger protections for landowners whose property is acquired by government by requiring compensation to reflect current market values and introducing timelines to reduce lengthy delays in the acquisition process. Another seeks to create a Tourism Climate Resilience Fund to help finance the protection of natural assets that support Cayman’s tourism industry.

Hew has also proposed changes to public procurement rules to give small and micro businesses a better opportunity to compete for government contracts, as well as a review of how government defines small and micro businesses to ensure support programmes better reflect today’s economic realities.

Red Bay MP Roy Tatum has put forward motions pertaining to housing and professional regulation. His housing motion calls on government to finally bring the Residential Tenancies Act into force, 17 years after it was passed by Parliament. The legislation would establish clearer rights and responsibilities for landlords and tenants, including dispute-resolution mechanisms and legal protections that currently do not exist.

Tatum has also proposed a review of oversight and regulation of quantity surveyors and property valuers, including whether stronger local licensing requirements, consumer protections and training opportunities for Caymanians are needed.

The final motion comes from Bodden Town West MP Christopher Saunders, who is proposing the creation of a Labour Day public holiday on the first Monday in September. Saunders argues that while workers are central to Cayman’s economic success, the Islands currently have no public holiday dedicated to recognising their contribution, unlike many countries around the world.