Abercrombie Acknowledges Hawaii Same-Sex Marriage Ban Unconstitutional

Turns out Hawaii is in the difficult position of defending the landmark 1998 law banning same-sex marriage while its governor admits that it’s unconstitutional — something opponents vociferously pointed out when voters debated the controversial ballot question 14 years ago.

Indeed, the Hawaii Supreme Court reached the same conclusion in 1993, effectively launching the same-sex marriage debate nationally and leading to legalizing Hawaii civil unions just this year.

Read the state’s response to a lawsuit challenging the ban. 

The complaint alleges that Natasha Jackson and Janin Kleid were denied a marriage license by the Department of Health because they are both women.