Four Senate conferees offered the House a constitutional amendment that
states that the Legislature shall have the power to regulate marriage licenses
(exact wording will be supplied later). This is their latest draft
of HB 117 (I have refrained from broadcasting numerous intermediate drafts
that last at best a few days). In conjunction with HB 117, the Senate
insisted
on a slightly changed Senate version of HB 118, the reciprocal beneficiaries
bill. Among the changes is this: HB 118 will take effect immediately
upon approval by the legislature and the governor (the earlier drafts were
conditioned upon approval by the voters of HB 117 in the November 1998
election; the Attorney General has advised the Senate that such conditional
approval is unconstitutional).
The Constitutional Amendment bill, HB 117, is practically what the House
demands. HB 118 is far from the House's position,
which is much narrower in the list of benefits which the House would
grant "reciprocal beneficiaries". Will the House accept this package?
Please stay tuned.
The conferees adjourned without setting another meeting time, subject
to being recalled by the chairs.
Tom Ramsey
President, Friends of h.e.r.m.p
P.S. The ACLU of Hawaii, Marriage Project - Hawaii, and Friends of h.e.r.m.p have been reaching out to the public with print, radio and TV advertising. This is expensive, high profile work!
If you wish to help them wage this battle
effectively, please contribute to
Marriage Project - Hawaii
PO Box 11690
Honolulu, HI 96828
(tax-deductible; formerly h.e.r.m.p)
Friends of h.e.r.m.p
PO Box 11690
Honolulu, HI 96828
(non-tax-deductible)
Friends of h.e.r.m.p has a 900 number,
1-900-97-MARRY, for donations by telephone (age 18+).