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Day Three – Hawaii Special Session on Same Sex Marriage

by Big Island Video News
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STORY SUMMARY

UPDATE (3:35 p.m.) Senator Clayton Hee, Chair of the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Labor, issued a statement in a media release shortly after the vote to pass the bill legalizing same sex marriage in Hawaii. “The Senate’s passage of this bill marks an historic step towards equality, fairness, and justice,” said Senator Hee. “I […]

UPDATE (3:35 p.m.) Senator Clayton Hee, Chair of the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Labor, issued a statement in a media release shortly after the vote to pass the bill legalizing same sex marriage in Hawaii.

“The Senate’s passage of this bill marks an historic step towards equality, fairness, and justice,” said Senator Hee. “I look forward to working with our colleagues in the House as this measure moves forward. This measure represents the Senate’s best effort to strike a balance between religious freedom and equal rights. Language has been included that preserves the sincerely held religious beliefs of religious organizations.”

According to the Senate media release, SB 1 incorporates public input, and says:

…the Senate’s measure takes into account the concerns expressed by both the religious community and same-sex advocates. SB 1 recognizes freedom of religion by:

  • Exempting a religious organization from liability for refusing to make its facilities or grounds available for solemnization of any marriage celebration if the religious organization does not make its facilities or grounds available to the public for solemnization of any marriage celebration for a profit; and
  • Specifying examples of the types of religious organization activities that do not constitute “for a profit.”

UPDATE (1:45 p.m.) The Hawaii State Senate voted to pass Senate Bill 1 – the same sex marriage bill – by a 20 to 4 vote. The 4 no votes were from Senators Gabbard, Kim, Kouchi and Slom.

SOCIAL MEDIA UPDATES from the floor session were curated and can be found below.

HONOLULU, Hawaii – Today is the third day of what many believe will be a five-day long special session of the Hawaii State Legislature, called by Governor Neil Abercrombie in order to decide on whether or not to grant same sex couples the right to marry under state law.

Senate Bill 1, Relating to Equal Rights, “recognizes marriages between individuals of the same gender,” according to its description, and also “extends to same-sex couples the same rights, benefits, protections, and responsibilities of marriage to which opposite-sex couples are presently entitled.”

The Hawaii State Senate will convene at 11:30 a.m. to vote on the passage of the measure on third reading. The bill will then head over to the House of Representatives, where it is already scheduled to be heard in the House Committees on Judiciary and Finance on Thursday. There is every reason to believe that the hearing will be long. Tuesday’s Senate Judiciary and Labor Committee hearing on the SB1 lasted all day and into the night. Thousands submitted testimony and hundreds signed up to speak.

photo courtesy Sen. Gil Kahele on Facebook, where he said, "the vote should take place shortly after we are gaveled into session" after 11:30 am.m today

photo courtesy Sen. Gil Kahele on Facebook, where he said, “the vote should take place shortly after we are gaveled into session” after 11:30 a.m. today


Here is the status of SB1 as of the start of October 30, courtesy the Hawaii State Legislature website.

10/22/2013 S Pending Introduction
10/22/2013 S The committee on JDL has scheduled a public hearing on 10-28-13 10:30AM in the Capitol Auditorium.
10/28/2013 S Introduced.
10/28/2013 S Passed First Reading, with Senator Slom voting “No”.
10/28/2013 S Referred to JDL.
10/28/2013 H Bill scheduled to be heard by JUD/FIN on Thursday, 10-31-13 10:00AM in Auditorium.
10/28/2013 S The committee(s) on JDL recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes in JDL were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Hee, Shimabukuro, Galuteria, Ihara, Solomon; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 2 No(es): Gabbard, Slom; and 0 Excused: none.
10/29/2013 S Reported from JDL (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading and placement on the calendar for Third Reading.
10/29/2013 S Report adopted; Passed Second Reading.
10/29/2013 S One Day Notice 10-30-13.