Hawaii‘s Democratic governor Neil Abercrombie is prepared to call a special session of the state legislature if they can come up with enough votes to pass a same-sex marriage bill. Unlike Texas, where Republican governor Rick Perry recently called a special legislative session to take away rights — like a woman’s right to choose — Hawaii will “very Likely” be able to hold a special session and extend the civil right of marriage to same-sex couples, the Governor says.
The timing couldn’t be better. Fresh off the Supreme Court’s evisceration of DOMA and effective killing of Prop 8, Hawaii also has a Democratic governor, and a Democratic majority in the House and Senate. And if that isn’t enough, there’s strong support among the religious community in the Aloha State.
“I think we can put together something that can achieve a solid majority, that will give us the opportunity to establish marriage equity in the state of Hawaii commensurate with the recent Supreme Court decisions, and will satisfy and resolve the issues that are presently before the appeals court on the mainland,†Abercrombie told a gathering of state Democrats, according to the Washington Post:
Abercrombie’s chief of staff, Blake Oshiro, is working on language with the state attorney general’s office, the Star-Advertiser reported Monday. State Senate leadership says they have the votes to pass a same-sex marriage bill.
An AP article notes support among the religious community:Â
More than two dozen Hawaii faith leaders of various religions signed a resolution Monday calling the state to pass a law legalizing gay marriage.
Jewish, Unitarian, Methodist and other leaders read and signed the poster-sized declaration at an interfaith brunch at the First Unitarian Church of Honolulu.
“It’s all about standing on the right side of history,” said Rev. Dr. Jonipher Kupono Kwong of the First Unitarian Church.
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