Gay Marriage Nears Approval in Hawaii

Hawaii’s state House, “turning back furious — if futile — pleas for delay, voted late Friday to grant marriage equality to gay and lesbian couples,” the Honolulu Star Advertiser reports.

“The 30-19 vote sends the bill to the state Senate, which is inclined to agree to the House version Tuesday and transmit the bill to Gov. Neil Abercrombie for his signature.”

New York Times: “Hawaii is poised to be among 16 states to approve gay marriage, along with Illinois and shortly after Minnesota, New Jersey and Rhode Island. But the step in Hawaii has special resonance because the contemporary battle over same-sex marriage was born here two decades ago.”