The U.S. state of Hawaii currently recognizes same-sex couples in reciprocal beneficiary relationships, which provide limited rights and benefits. Civil unions that provide benefits similar to marriage were legalized in 2011, and became available on January 1, 2012. Same-sex marriage is banned by state law, and lawful out-of-state same-sex marriages are recognized as civil unions in Hawaii.
Following a 1993 decision by the Hawaii State Supreme Court that found the state’s refusal to grant same-sex couples marriage licenses discriminatory, voters in 1998 approved a constitutional amendment granting the Hawaii State Legislature the power to reserve marriage to opposite-sex couples, which it later did by passing a law that banned same-sex marriage. Bills creating civil unions were considered several times, but failed to receive approval in legislative committees before 2009. In 2010, Hawaii House Bill 444 (HB 444), which would have created civil unions for same-sex and opposite-sex couples, passed the Hawaii House of Representatives and the Hawaii Senate. It was vetoed by Governor Linda Lingle in July 2010.
A bill substantively similar to HB 444, Senate Bill 232, was passed on January 26, 2011, by the Senate Judiciary and Labor Committee in a 3-2 vote, and was passed by the full Senate 19-6 on January 28; a modification to the bill was then made in the House of Representatives before passage on February 11 by a vote of 31-19. The Senate passed the revised bill on February 16, and Governor Neil Abercrombie signed it into law on February 23. Civil unions will begin on January 1, 2012.
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741.07 Persons authorized to solemnize matrimony.
Division 3 > Title 31 > Chapter 572 > Part I > ยง 572-12 – By whom solemnized
A license to solemnize marriages may be issued to, and the marriage rite may be performed and solemnized by any minister, priest, or officer of any religious denomination or society who has been ordained or is authorized to solemnize marriages according to the usages of such denomination or society, or any religious society not having clergy but providing solemnization in accordance with the rules and customs of that society, or any justice or judge or magistrate, active or retired, of a state or federal court in the State, upon presentation to such person or society of a license to marry, as prescribed by this chapter. Such person or society may receive the price stipulated by the parties or the gratification tendered.