But it is still too soon, he said recently, because extensive hearings now would divert the agencies from doing their job.

Ms. Lau said her committee hoped to hold extensive hearings on the plan.

Collectively, Congress did that early last year, holding extensive hearings on the effect of those 1989 decisions.

But she said the committee did not have time to hold extensive hearings on the subject.

She plans to introduce it this month, followed by extensive public hearings.

The committee held extensive hearings and issued its recommendations on July 28, 1966.

In April 2000, after extensive hearings, the legislature approved civil unions.

If anything of that magnitude is ever to be considered, then it should be done only after extensive hearings.

"It's very disturbing that something so important won't have extensive hearings," he said in an interview.

These will be followed by extensive hearings concerning overall governance and internal control systems in January.