The fight for marriage equality

1990
»Hawaii hosts its first gay pride parade, founded by the late Honolulu civil rights activist Bill Woods. Woods wants to organize a mass commitment ceremony for gay couples but instead asks Joseph Melillo and Patrick Lagon, Ninia Baehr and Genora Dancel, and Antoinette Pregil and Tammy Rodrigues to apply for marriage licenses.

1991
»The couples, in Baehr v. Lewin, sue the state for the right to marry, and the Circuit Court rules against them. The case goes to the Hawaii Supreme Court.

1993
»Now-retired Hawaii Supreme Court Associate Justice Steven Levinson, right, writes a decision in the Baehr case that shocks the nation: Denying same-sex partners the right to marry violates equal protection rights afforded by the state constitution. Levinson rules the state has to allow same-sex marriages unless it can provide compelling interest as to why it shouldn’t, which sends the case back to Circuit Court.

1996
»The federal government passes the Defense of Marriage Act defining marriage as a heterosexual union.

»Circuit Judge Kevin Chang, right, rules that the state did not present compelling interest to ban same-sex marriage in its argument that children are better off raised by opposite-sex parents. 

1998
»Nearly 70 percent of people who head to the polls pass a constitutional amendment giving state lawmakers the power to reserve marriage for a man and a woman.

1999
»The Hawaii Supreme Court rules that the constitutional amendment makes the earlier Baehr v. Lewin decision moot.

2004
»Massachusetts becomes the first state to legalize same-sex marriage after its Supreme Court rules that a same-sex marriage ban violates the state’s constitution. It becomes only the seventh jurisdiction in the world to do so, behind the Netherlands, Belgium and four Canadian provinces.

»Hawaii’s House Judiciary Committee agrees to hear a civil- unions bill that was introduced the previous year but defers it.

2005-2008
»Civil-union bills are introduced at the Capitol but aren’t heard or don’t make it out of committee.

2009
»House Bill 444 becomes the first civil-unions bill to make it out of committee, passing the House but stalling on the Senate floor.

2010
»The Senate passes House Bill 444 and sends it back to the House for final approval. The House votes to postpone action indefinitely for the session but on the last day reconsiders and passes it. Gov. Linda Lingle, above, vetoes the bill.

2011
»Civil-union legislation, Senate Bill 232, sails through the Senate and House and is signed by Gov. Neil Abercrombie in February. Civil unions are set to become legal the following January.

»In December Natasha N. Jackson and Janin Kleid file a lawsuit against Abercrombie and Department of Health Director Loretta J. Fuddy claiming the 1998 amendment and the state’s declaration that marriage “shall be only between a man and a woman” violate the due process and equal protection clauses in the U.S. Constitution.

2012
»Civil unions are offered starting Jan. 1.

»In August a federal District judge rules in favor of the state in the Jackson v. Abercrombie case. The plaintiffs appeal, but the 9th Circuit

»Court of Appeals stalls the case in anticipation Hawaii might pass a same-sex marriage law.

2013
»The Legislature decides not to take up same-sex marriage bills.  Supporters hint that the state is awaiting U.S. Supreme Court rulings. 

»In June the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down a section of the Defense of Marriage Act that restricted marriage to a union between a man and a woman.

»In September, Abercrombie, above, calls Senate and House members into special session. 

»After a 12-hour hearing in the Senate and more than 55 hours of public testimony in the House, senators Tuesday give Senate Bill 1 the final stamp of approval needed to send it to the governor’s desk.

»Abercrombie is expected to sign the bill, and same-sex couples will be able to apply for marriage licenses Dec. 2.