HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES					H.B. NO.
EIGHTEENTH LEGISLATURE, 1996			
STATE OF HAWAII			

A BILL FOR AN ACT


	PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE I, SECTION 5, OF THE CONSTITUTION
OF THE STATE OF HAWAII, TO AMEND THE DUE PROCESS AND EQUAL PROTECTION
CLAUSE RELATING TO SAME SEX MARRIAGES.
	

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

	SECTION 1.  The purpose of this Act is to propose an amendment to
Article I, section 5, of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii to
clarify that same sex marriages are not constitutionally protected and
to define marriage as a legal relationship between a male and a female.
	
	SECTION 2.  Article I, section 5, of the Constitution of the State
of Hawaii is amended to read as follows: "DUE PROCESS AND EQUAL
PROTECTION
	
	Section 5.  No person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property
without due process of law, nor be denied the equal protection of the
laws, nor be denied the enjoyment of the person's civil rights or be
discriminated against in the exercise thereof because of race,
religion, sex or ancestry.
		Nothing in this section or any other section of this Constitution
shall be interpreted to create a constitutional  right to same-sex
marriages in order to reserve marriage as a legal relationship between
a man and a woman as husband and wife which has been sanctioned by the
State.  Marriage and its requisites may be subject to reasonable
regulation by the State."
	
	SECTION 3.  The question to be printed on the ballot shall be as
follows: "Shall the Due Process And Equal Protection Clause be amended
to clarify that same sex marriages are not constitutionally protected
in order to define marriage as a legal relationship between a man and a
woman as husband and wife which has been sanctioned by the State and
which may be reasonably regulated by the State."
	
	SECTION 4.  New constitutional material is underscored.
	
	SECTION 5.  This amendment shall take effect upon compliance with
Article XVII, section 3, of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii.
	
				INTRODUCED BY: _______________________

	Appendix D-2B	Reports and Studies	Table of Contents