Reuters: U.S.: Hawaii set to approve bill to legalize gay marriage

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Hawaii set to approve bill to legalize gay marriage Nov 9th 2013, 08:06 HONOLULU Sat Nov 9, 2013 3:06am EST Same sex marriage supporters Lance Namihara (L), Calvin Marquez (C) and Aleeciya Parker rally at the Hawaii State Capital as the State Legislature convenes for the third and final vote on allowing same sex marriage to be legal in the state of Hawaii in Honolulu, November 8, 2013. Credit: Reuters/Hugh Gentry HONOLULU (Reuters) - Hawaii's House of Representatives was expected to approve a bill on Friday to legalize same-sex marriage in the popular Pacific wedding and honeymoon destination, setting the stage for a final "yes" anticipated next week from the Senate. Governor Neil Abercrombie has indicated he would swiftly sign the measure into law, making Hawaii the 15th or 16th U.S. state to extend marriage rights to gay and lesbian couples, depending on when the governor of Illinois signs a newly passed same-sex marriage bill there. Hawaii's Supreme Court ruled two decades ago that banning same-sex marriage was discriminatory, helping to advance gay rights nationwide but sparking a backlash that has kept marriage limited to heterosexual couples in the "Aloha State". Abercrombie, a Democrat and vocal proponent of gay rights, called the state legislature into special session late last month to consider the bill. The Senate overwhelmingly approved the measure last Wednesday, with a 20-4 vote and just three Democrats joining the only Republican senator to oppose the bill. It advanced to the full House, where Democrats outnumber Republicans, 44-7, after being amended slightly in committee. House members rejected 16 floor amendments on Friday before beginning a final round of debate. A House floor vote was likely to come late on Friday or early on Saturday, local time. "This is about a move toward acceptance, tolerance and compassion," Representative Sylvia Luke, chairwoman of the House Finance Committee, said as the debate began. The Senate is precluded by legislative rules from acting before next Tuesday, aides say. Abercrombie has said the proposal was crafted to address opponents' concerns that legalizing gay marriage would infringe on religious freedom. The proposal exempts clergy and churches from having to perform same-sex marriages. The special session in Hawaii comes at a time of increasing momentum for gay marriage in the courts, at the ballot box and statehouses across the country. Only six states and the District of Columbia recognized same-sex marriage a year ago, but the number has since more than doubled, due in most cases to litigation over the issue. Three states - Maine, Maryland and Washington - became the first to extend marriage rights to same-sex couples by popular vote with passage of ballot initiatives last November. Last month, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie dropped his legal opposition to gay marriage, making his state the 14th to legalize same-sex weddings. Illinois, whose legislature gave final approval to a same-sex marriage bill on Tuesday, would become the 15th state, unless Abercrombie manages to beat Illinois Governor Pat Quinn to the punch. Quinn, also a Democrat, has, like Abercrombie, pledged to sign gay marriage into law. The debate has long divided Hawaii. In 1993, the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled it was discriminatory to deny marriage rights to same-sex couples. But the legislature voted the following year to restrict marriage to heterosexual couples, passing a law at odds with the courts. In 1998, Hawaii voters took the courts out of the equation by approving a constitutional amendment giving the legislature power to limit marriage to opposite-sex couples. (Reporting by Treena Shapiro; Writing by Steve Gorman; Editing by Louise Ireland) Link this Share this Digg this Email Print Reprints

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