The Hawaii House of Representatives today
voted to pass SB1 HD1, relating to equal rights, on third reading. The measure was approved
by a vote of 30 to 18, with three members excused.
The House draft includes amendments, modeled
after similar language in Connecticut law, significantly broadening exemptions
for religious organizations and clergy performing solemnization. Religious
organizations and affiliated nonprofits would be exempted from having to
furnish goods, services, or its facilities or grounds for the solemnization or
the celebration of solemnizations if it is in violation of its religious beliefs
or faith. It also specifies that clergy and religious officers are not required
to solemnize if it is against their religious beliefs or faith. The measure also
grants immunity from administrative, civil and legal liability to religious organizations
and officials for the failure or refusal to provide services, goods, or
facilities as described.
The issue was discussed
in House committee hearings spanning five days and nearly 57 hours of public
testimony. There were 5,184 registered testifiers, with over 1,000 people testifying,
and nearly 24,400 written testimonies submitted. As far as House members could
recall, the public hearing on SB1 was the longest hearing on a single bill in
the modern history of the Hawaii House of Representatives. Based on concerns and issues raised during the
public hearing the bill was amended to expand the religious exemptions for
churches and religious organizations that do not want to solemnize same gender
marriages.
The bill is now transmitted to the Hawaii
State Senate for their consideration. Upon approval of the changes by the
Senate, the bill will be transmitted to the Governor for his signature into
law. If the Senate rejects the
amendments, the bill will go into conference committee. The Senate is scheduled
to convene on Tuesday, November 11, to vote on the amended House bill (SB1
HD1).
More information on the bill is available on
the Capitol website at:
No comments:
Post a Comment