[§572C-2]  Findings.  The legislature
finds that the people of Hawaii choose to preserve the tradition of marriage as
a unique social institution based upon the committed union of one man and one
woman.  The legislature further finds that because of its unique status,
marriage provides access to a multiplicity of rights and benefits throughout
our laws that are contingent upon that status.  As such, marriage should be
subject to restrictions such as prohibiting respective parties to a valid
marriage contract from standing in relation to each other, i.e., brother and
sister of the half as well as to the whole blood, uncle and niece, aunt and
nephew.



However, the legislature concurrently
acknowledges that there are many individuals who have significant personal,
emotional, and economic relationships with another individual yet are
prohibited by such legal restrictions from marrying.  For  example, two
individuals who are related to one another, such as a widowed mother and her
unmarried son, or two individuals who are of the same gender.  Therefore, the
legislature believes that certain rights and benefits presently available only
to married couples should be made available to couples comprised of two
individuals who are legally prohibited from marrying one another. [L 1997, c
383, pt of §1]