Hawaii House Passes Civil Union, Bill Goes to Senate
Passing by a margin of 33-17, Hawaii’s House approved a measure that would allow gays and lesbians to enter into civil unions. Opponents of the bill are claiming that the they’re holding off on a real fight until the bill gets to Hawaii’s Senate, but State Senate President Colleen Hanabusa says she has enough votes to pass the bill, provided she can get it out of committee.
The Honolulu Advertiser writes:
” Hanabusa, said yesterday she believes there are enough votes in the Senate for civil unions if the bill moves out of the Senate Judiciary and Government Operations Committee. The committee is currently divided 3-2 in favor of civil unions, with state Sen. Robert Bunda, D-22nd (North Shore, Wahiawa), undecided.
Hanabusa said she would consider forcing the bill out if it fails in committee. A one-third vote of the Senate would be required to recall the bill.
“I believe that if it makes the floor there are the votes in the Senate to pass civil unions,” she said.
Hanabusa said she would only attempt to force the bill out of committee with the concurrence of the committee’s chairman, state Sen. Brian Taniguchi, D-10th (Manoa, McCully), who backs civil unions. Taniguchi said he would prefer to deal with the bill in committee but would be open to alternatives if it stalls…
State House Majority Leader Blake Oshiro, D-33rd (‘Aiea, Halawa Valley, ‘Aiea Heights), the bill’s sponsor, said the debate was inspiring for him. He said he has occasionally been disappointed and frustrated by the legislative process but has always accepted it as part of elected office. He said that yesterday he felt, for the first time, like he belonged in the chamber and was making a difference.
“There will be a day when acceptance, tolerance, equity and justice are not just words, but they will be truly embodied by our actions,” Oshiro said. “So let that day come closer. And let that day be today.”
Awesome!! Wasn’t Hawaii the first in the nation to offer “domestic partnerships” at the state level way back in 1997.
I was actually born in Hawaii, but moved when it was time to start school. My parents spent 10 years there after they were married, before we moved back to Connecticut (then Sweden, then Connecticut, then…). Well, in any case… Hawaii, has always held a special place in my heart.
It is kinda nice that all the us states I am associated with are at the forefront of this issue. In CT, where I went to high school, marriage was passed almost eerily quietly. There really wasn’t much debate or vocal opposition at all. While it was a little more of a fight in Boston, nothing like in California.
We always tend to think of California as a progressive state, a state the nation follows, same with New York. Where are these states? Look at the mess going on in both of them. Kinda sad.
Well, Nina Baehr and her partner filed the lawsuit how many years ago? I think it was more than 10 and while I’m happy to see this, it isn’t exactly thrilling since the courts said people must be treated equally and then the courts allowed the people (via a legislative bill) to VOTE on civil rights. What nonsense. So it took all this many years just to get civil unions. Forgive me if I’m underwhelmed.
just found it, they filed May 1991 & that was Nina & Genora Dancel.
Well a step forward is always better than a step back. Full equality should be the goal. But, encouraging news of things moving forward (albeit slowly) is better than more rights taken away. Sucks for our generation to have to wait through all this, but because of us, maybe the next generations will have it easier.