Hawaii state Senate passes gay marriage bill, sending special session measure to House

[Tx4obama]

Source: The Republic

8:23 pm EDT HONOLULU — The state Senate passed a bill Wednesday legalizing gay marriage, sending the measure to more uncertain prospects in the House.

After nearly two hours of discussion on the Senate floor on the merits of allowing same-sex couples to marry, the bill passed easily, 20-4, with one senator abstaining. The Hawaii Senate is dominated by Democrats, with only one Republican.

Democratic Sen. Clayton Hee said before voting for the bill that the moment is career-defining and lawmakers should embrace it.

"I ask you to expand the meaning of the word 'aloha' to truly include everyone," regardless race, creed or sexual orientation, Hee said.

The House plans to refer the bill to a joint committee hearing Thursday. The hearing is likely to be jammed with public testimony, with the possibility of being extended to a second day.

Read more: http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/9d588e729fcb4efd971c98419a19bbff/HI-XGR--Gay-Marriage-Hawaii

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Breaking News Verified account ?@BreakingNews

Hawaii Senate passes bill legalizing gay marriage, sends measure to House - @AP http://bit.ly/1apnK8e

https://twitter.com/BreakingNews/status/395696747370254336

Oskar Garcia Verified account ?@oskargarcia

APNewsAlert: HONOLULU (AP) _ Hawaii state Senate passes gay marriage bill, sending special session measure to House.

https://twitter.com/oskargarcia/status/395696003044487168

Oskar Garcia = @AP news editor for Hawaii, Pacific Rim.

https://twitter.com/oskargarcia

[sheshe2]

1. Aloha Hawaii!

Great news TX, thank you.

[William769]

2. Come on you can do it!

[Tx4obama]

3. Additional link below to article from Honolulu

The state Senate voted overwhelmingly today to approve a gay marriage bill, shifting the focus of the debate to the state House, where the vote could be closer. The Senate vote was 20 to 4.

Sen. Clayton Hee, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary and Labor Committee, framed the vote in the historical context of interracial marriage and Hawaii's decision to legalize abortion.

"This is a defining moment in all of our careers and we should embrace it," Hee told his colleagues.

Senate Minority Leader Sam Slom, the lone Republican in the Senate, said there was no urgency to hold a special session on gay marriage. He said the issue does not compare to previous special sessions on the Hawaii Superferry or the response to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

-snip-

Here: http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/229943741.html

[dbackjon]

5. Here's the urgency, Sam:

Travel to California is not cheap from Hawai'i. Passing a Gay Marriage bill NOW will allow Hawaiian couples the ability to get married THIS YEAR and have it recognized Federally.

[gopiscrap]

4. yes!

[geardaddy]

6. That's great!

On the heels of Minnesota

http://www.minnpost.com/politics-policy/2013/09/rybak-s-tourism-campaign-same-sex-marriage-garnering-wide-attention

[awoke_in_2003]

7. You can do it. nt