News Release from Human Rights Campaign

This coming Monday at 10:30 a.m. in conference room 016, the Hawaii Senate Committee on Judiciary and Labor will hear testimony on SR 123 and SCR 166, resolutions introduced in the Senate by Committee Chair Clayton Hee.

(Translation: Gay activists will stack the task force and prepare a report with a pre-determined outcome timed for the next legislative session.) 

The resolutions call for the establishment of a task force to study the effects of same-sex marriage on a variety of areas including:

• Determine whether civil unions are sufficient to provide the rights, benefits, and dignity necessary to ensure strong, healthy families in Hawaii.
• Examine the impact of the U.S. Supreme Court rulings in the Prop 8 and DOMA cases for same-sex couples in Hawaii.
• Examine the economic impact of passing or failing to pass marriage for same-sex couples in Hawaii.
• Study the impact in other jurisdictions of the effects of same-sex marriage in those locations, and whether or not Hawaii should follow suit and/or make improvements to the laws in those locations.

The task force would be made up of individuals from businesses, faith, legal, scholarly and community organizations and would also appoint the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate to the entity. The deadline for reporting back on the findings of the task force would be November 1, 2013.

If you’d like to submit written testimony or attend the hearing in person, you may find the information for doing so here http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2013/hearingnotices/HEARING_JDL_03-25-13_.HTM or by emailing JDLtestimony@capitol.hawaii.gov