The Flint Hills Observer
February 1997

Hawaii Update
from Internet Reports

On February 3, the Hawaii Senate Judiciary Committee endorsed two bills on same-sex marriage. (These bills were passed last month by the House, but they have been somewhat amended by the Senate Judiciary Committee.)

HB 117 HD 1--The Senate committee gutted the House bill, which proposed a constitutional amendment to limit marriage to one man and one woman. Instead, senators proposed a constitutional amendment to provide authority to the state to regulate marriage. That would include limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples, but only if laws don't deprive anyone of civil rights on the basis of sex.

HB 118 HD 1 SD 1--The House proposed creating a new "reciprocal beneficiaries" law that would allow couples who can't marry to have four benefits: hospital visitation, joint property ownership, inheritance rights and the ability to sue for wrongful death. The Senate Judiciary Committee expanded this bill to include other rights and benefits, including state worker health and death benefits accruing to a "life partner," the ability to file joint tax returns, worker's compensation benefits, and criminal victims rights and family leave. The "reciprocal beneficiaries" bill would not go into effect unless voters ratify a proposed constitutional amendment in the 1998 General Election. This bill would also require a minimum one-year residence before the applicants could qualify for the status (this was added to address the concern that Hawaii might become a "marriage mill" for same-sex couples).

The bills now go to the full Senate for a vote. If approved, the measures go to a House-Senate conference committee where negotiators would try to work out their differences for full Legislative approval.