In a late night vote on Friday, Hawaii's House of Representatives passed a gay rights bill to legalize same-sex marriage 30-19, allowing a final passage in Senate next week, Reuters reported.
Hawaii, a location already popular for weddings and honeymoons, had six Republicans and 13 Democrats vote against the bill in the state which is mostly Democratic, according to Reuters.
The state governor, Neil Abercrombie, confirmed he will sign the bill into law as soon as it reaches his desk, confirming Hawaii as either the 15th or 16th state to approve same-sex marriage, depending on how quickly the governor of Illinois signs its bill.
"This is about a move toward acceptance, tolerance and compassion," chairwoman of the House Finance Committee Sylvia Luke told the House before the vote, according to Reuters.
After signed by the governor, the bill is set to take effect on Dec. 2.
When Hawaii's Supreme Court ruled that banning same-sex marriage is discriminatory over two decades ago, it opened doors for gay rights, but brought extreme backlash to the state, keeping it from passing a gay-rights bill amending that law until now, Reuters reported.
With the passing in Senate of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and state after state legalizing same-sex marriage, the courts are in a period of acceptance with public opinion shifting dramatically towards a more accepting view on same-sex marriages.
Abercrombie, a first-term Democrat, jumped on this momentum and brought the state legislature together in October to redefine a 1994 statute which states a legal marriage can only take place between a man and woman, according to Reuters.
The Senate approved that measure last Wednesday with a 20-4 vote, with only three Democrats along with one Republican voting against the bill, Reuters reported.
The bill must now return to Senate for implementation because if was amended in the House, and aides told Reuters that due to legislative rules, Senate must wait to act until Tuesday.
