[7] On August 19, a group of religious leaders in Hawaii signed a resolution calling on the state to enact a same-sex marriage law.

He then wrote a letter to parishioners published August 24-5 that said that a special session "could happen any day" and asked for prayers "for a change of heart and the formation of an informed conscience" and for courteous lobbying efforts.

"[14] On September 9, Governor Abercrombie announced that he is calling the Hawaii State Legislature into special session on October 28 to consider the same-sex marriage bill.

[19] The bill was then debated by the joint House Committees on Judiciary and on Finance for several days beginning October 31, as 5,184 people signed up to testify.

[21] Following extensive public debate and an attempted 'citizens' filibuster' of the legislation to block its progress,[22] the full state House advanced the same-sex marriage bill to a final vote 30-18, a key hurdle for the measure that would allow same-sex couples to marry while also expanding a religious exemption amendment beyond what the Senate had approved.

[27][28][29] To maintain security, the House and Senate Sergeants-at-Arms divided space in the Capitol rotunda and on the sidewalk fronting Beretania Street between supporters and opponents, and set up barricades to physically separate the two groups.

[30][31] A lawsuit was filed during the special legislative session by State Representative Bob McDermott, a Republican member of the House who was opposed to same-sex marriage.

Rep. McDermott and other plaintiffs based the lawsuit on the claim that voters believed that Hawaii Constitutional Amendment 2 of 1998 only allowed the Legislature to ban same-sex marriage and simultaneously barred the reverse.