What is new on the Gay Marriage front?

[Alnitak]

Hawaii's a done deal. It's the only issue on the agenda and they have the schedule all laid out. Also, they never would've scheduled the session if they weren't sure they had the votes.

By Friday is it? The House hearings are on Thursday.

Illinois is where we need to pull out all the shots to assure it's voted on next month. However, it's important to remember that even if it's not, it will be approved in January as the deadline for primaries will have passed.

I always thought the idiom was in reference to organs, which at full blast have all of their [air] stops pulled out.

Anyway, you mentioned that the situation behind the scenes is often better than it appears to all of us. At the rate Darby v. Orr is progressing in Cook County Circuit Court, the heat death of the Universe will occur first. We'll know for sure when Harris calls a vote. We have supporters actually protesting outside his office. Talk about pressure...

 

[Alnitak]

Watch the Hawaii Senate hearing LIVE

http://livewire.kitv.com/Event/2013_Hawaii_Legislature_Special_Session_on_same-sex_marriage

 

[scream4ever]

Word is they for sure have the votes to pass it in Hawaii. Looks like they will be the 15th state with the freedom to marry!!!

 

[AstareGod]

I'm watching the live feed - thanks again Alnitak!

It seems like almost every single person arguing in opposition is bringing up God and religion. Chairman Hee just asked one of the testifiers what she thinks about people from different religions being in support while others are in opposition and how they can be diametrically opposed to one another.

We've heard all these arguments before, time and time again. I really hope you guys are right, that the legislature wouldn't have called this session unless they were sure they had the votes.

 

[Kulindahr]

I'm watching the live feed - thanks again Alnitak!

It seems like almost every single person arguing in opposition is bringing up God and religion. Senator Hee just asked one of the testifiers what she thinks about people from different religions being in support while others are in opposition and how they can be diametrically opposed to one another.

We've heard all these arguments before, time and time again. I really hope you guys are right, that the legislature wouldn't have called this session unless they were sure they had the votes.

I get so frustrated that politicians even listen to people arguing "God says" in political questions. The proper response would be, "And what does that have to do with this?"

 

[AstareGod]

I get so frustrated that politicians even listen to people arguing "God says" in political questions. The proper response would be, "And what does that have to do with this?"

I can understand politicans' need to maintain an objective ear. Whether or not they base their votes off of that is another story.

We heard the same religious arguments from the republicans after the Supreme Court decisions back in June.

 

[Ninja108]

Pretty much just the same old arguments spewed elsewhere.
I'm going to believe the votes are there and if they aren't,the 9th Circuit can simply see that the legislature had the chance to do the right thing and failed.

 

[Alnitak]

Well the nasty arguments didn't work. The Senate committee advanced the bill 5-2.


Meanwhile, we have a new federal lawsuit lodged in San Antonio, Texas by two couples.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/lo...s-in-Texas-sue-to-lift-ban-on-gay-4933604.php

This is 20 states with 27 different lawsuits now as far as I've been able to research.

 

[Ninja108]

I have to say yesterday was easily the worst testimoney I've heard yet.
As we gain equality in more and more states,the true nature of those opposed to SSM is starting to come out. They didn't even bother to hide the fact that some of them simply want us to be put to death.

 

[Rolyo85]

And I love it. Because it comes to show how desperate they are. And how helpless.

 

[Alnitak]

I have to say yesterday was easily the worst testimoney I've heard yet.
As we gain equality in more and more states,the true nature of those opposed to SSM is starting to come out. They didn't even bother to hide the fact that some of them simply want us to be put to death.

It often backfires. Here in Maryland some of the fence sitters such as Sen. Brochin explicitly credited the extremism for his vote on our bill.

Anyway, the bill passed a procedural vote today and will get a floor vote in the Senate's morning session (afternoon on the East Coast). Given that the chamber is blue 24-1, it is going to pass easily.

 

[AstareGod]

I haven't seen any news yet on how the vote went today (or if it's even been voted on, yet).

I agree that many of the oppositional testimonies may actually swing people in our favor.

 

[Alnitak]

LIVE feed of the debate in the Hawaii Senate

http://livewire.kitv.com/Event/2013_Hawaii_Legislature_Special_Session_on_same-sex_marriage

 

[Alnitak]

Hawaii Senate passes the bill 20-4

The House committee takes up its bill tomorrow.

 

[Ninja108]

It will be a much tougher battle in the house. Two of the top Democrats have made it clear they oppose marriage equality and though they say the votes are there,we've seen this happen before whehter due to cowerdice or bigotry,Democratic controlled legislatures fail to do the right thing.
Keep your fingers crossed.

 

[Alnitak]

It will be a much tougher battle in the house. Two of the top Democrats have made it clear they oppose marriage equality and though they say the votes are there,we've seen this happen before whehter due to cowerdice or bigotry,Democratic controlled legislatures fail to do the right thing.
Keep your fingers crossed.

It will be a challenge to ward off attempts to curtail the human rights act, which was passed in 1991. The one we might have to let go is for-profit religiously affiliated wedding accommodations, but we'll see.

The House committee hearing is in four hours.

It will most likely be shown live on KITV http://www.kitv.com/

An archive and schedule of live events is here http://olelo.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=13

 

[scream4ever]

Remember the special session would not have been called if they weren't positive the votes were there.

I believe the amendment they may add to the bill would have to do with businesses which provide services and have fewer then 5 employees. Many states already have the same exemption in their laws.

 

[Kulindahr]

It will be a challenge to ward off attempts to curtail the human rights act, which was passed in 1991. The one we might have to let go is for-profit religiously affiliated wedding accommodations, but we'll see.

The House committee hearing is in four hours.

It will most likely be shown live on KITV http://www.kitv.com/

An archive and schedule of live events is here http://olelo.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=13

You mean let religious groups run those accommodations for a profit? That seems bizarre to me: in order to claim they can't allow gay wedding on certain premises, the argument has to be that those premises are in a solid sense sanctified ground -- but if it's sanctified, why are they using it to make a profit (unless making profit is a religious tenet)?

 

[Alnitak]

Remember the special session would not have been called if they weren't positive the votes were there.

I believe the amendment they may add to the bill would have to do with businesses which provide services and have fewer then 5 employees. Many states already have the same exemption in their laws.

Even the federal Civil Rights Act exempts small businesses. However, anyone on payroll is an "employee" even if the employee works half an hour a week. It's very easy to go over the limit for any business even one that is run out of a home.

BTW, the Hawaii House committee hearing is being held live until an indefinite time

Watch the LIVE feed here: http://livewire.kitv.com/Event/2013...al_Session_on_same-sex_marriage#ixzz2jKfTaAzF

 

[Alnitak]

Civil Beat reports that the joint House committee has the votes to pass the bill by a comfortable 20-8 with two undecided.

http://hawaii.news.blogs.civilbeat....-house-committee-has-votes-to-pass-hawaii-gay

Testimony is still ongoing with over 4000 left to testify when the committee adjourned at midnight. With two minutes per person, that comes out to 139 hours of testimony left at maximum efficiency. Obviously that is impossible to accommodate in a reasonable amount of time. After today's session, the joint committee will make a decision on how to proceed.