Hawaii Gov. Abercrombie calls for special legislative session on bill to legalize gay marriage

HONOLULU, Hawaii – Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie is calling for a special legislative session to move forward a bill legalizing gay marriage.

Abercrombie announced the special session during a news conference on Monday. The session would begin on Oct. 28.

If lawmakers pass a bill, Hawaii would join 13 U.S. states and the District of Columbia in legalizing gay marriage. Hawaii is already among a handful of states that allow same-sex civil unions, which gay marriage advocates say stops short of the full benefits of marriage.

Proponents of gay marriage in the state renewed their efforts after seeing two U.S. Supreme Court rulings come down in line with their views in June. One ruling granted federal benefits to same-sex couples married in states where gay marriage is legal.

Abercrombie has been considering a special session since the rulings.

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