Parliament's Social Affairs and Health Committee has failed to agree its position on a proposed reform of the law on transgender people.
The committee will reconvene on Thursday to try and reach agreement, according to committee chair Markus Lohi (Cen).
The committee's draft opinion statement was expected to be finalised on Wednesday. Lohi did not say what was taking so long, or whether he expected an opinion to be forthcoming on Wednesday.
"The issue is making sure the legislation is properly scrutinised in committee," said Lohi. "It takes the time that it takes. We unanimously agreed that we don't have any chance of getting this over the line today."
The government has been aiming to get the law approved before new elections in April. That means committee opinions must be ready by 20 February to ensure there is time for parliament to vote on the issue before it breaks up for the election.
Transgender people currently need to undergo a lengthy medical evaluation process and hormone treatment, and must present proof that they are unable to have children, before they can legally change their gender. The law would allow adults to change legal gender by completing an application process.
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NCP demands changes
In the final stages of the bill's passage, the National Coalition Party has demanded changes to the law. Vice chair of the Social Affairs and Health committee, Mia Laiho (NCP), said that her party still wants clarifications and adjustments to the bill.
The NCP's demands relate to how often a person can change their gender, according to Laiho. She suggested that the law might stop a person changing their gender multiple times in the same year.
"We had a discussion about what the limit would be," said Laiho. "We have had it suggested that the limit should be at least one year because that could reduce the risks of these other possible abuses."
The party has suggested that one of these abuses might be that men could avoid conscription by changing their gender. Currently Finnish men have to undertake a period of military service, or a longer period of non-military service.
Women are exempt from either military or non-military service.
Opposition parties' demands are being heard with a sensitive ear at the moment, as government votes alone won't be enough to get the measure through.
That's because the Centre Party is giving its MPs a free vote on the law, and many Centre legislators are expected to oppose it.
The National Coalition Party conference passed a motion supporting trans law reform, but Laiho says that the party's policy is not as wide-ranging as the law currently going through parliament.
Laiho says that NCP MPs will likely vote on conscience when the law comes before the legislature.
"In a way this is surely a question of conscience for everyone," said Laiho. Every MP can consider and decide — can they stand behind this proposal."
Laiho said the NCP parliamentary group had not yet reached a position on the law, however.
EDIT 21:55 - The story originally stated those wishing to change their gender have to present proof they have been sterilised under current legislation. The law does not require sterilisation, but proof that they are sterile, and hormone treatment is generally accepted as that proof.