HONOLULU — The list of states allowing same-sex marriage grows as the Hawaii House of Representatives voted 30-19 to pass SB1 on Friday, allowing the unions, NBC reported.
The measure returns to the Senate, where it had been approved late last month, 20-4. The Senate is expected to re-convene Tuesday.
Gov. Neil Abercrombie has said he would sign the bill into law, putting the state in line to be the 15th or 16th to approve same-sex marriage rights, depending on when the governor of Illinois signs a same-sex marriage bill passed there Tuesday.
Opponents in Hawaii gathered outside the Hawaii State Capitol during House deliberations.
“It was a very emotional few days,” said Colin Moore, an assistant professor of political science at the University of Hawaii, NBC reported. “This is a very unusual thing here. This kind of very aggressive political activity, these kinds of very big public protests happen here, but they’re pretty rare.”
Currently, 14 states and the District of Columbia allow same-sex marriage.
