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Loading ...Hawaii nixes same-sex civil unions bill
02.01.2010 9:09am EST
(Honoloulu) Hawaii lawmakers declined to vote Friday on a bill that would have allowed same-sex civil unions, effectively doing away with the measure.
State House leaders said a narrow majority of representatives would have voted for civil unions, but they decided to indefinitely postpone a decision on whether to grant gay and lesbian couples the same rights and benefits the state provides to married couples.Civil union supporters in the crowded House gallery on Friday shouted, “Shame on you!” while opponents cheered.
“It’s an election year, and they’re more concerned about keeping their seats than doing what’s right,” said Stephen Nagle of Kaaawa, wearing a rainbow lei in support of civil unions.
The state Senate had approved a civil unions bill last week. But House leadership wavered on pushing the controversial issue. Last year, 33 of 51 House members voted in favor of civil unions.
Civil union opponents, who have staged several large rallies at the Capitol, wore red “iVote” stickers and white shirts to show unity.
“We’re a very tolerant society, but I don’t think we’re willing to accept same-sex marriage, or as they call it, civil unions,” said Dennis Arakaki, head of the Hawaii Family Forum and Hawaii Catholic Conference.
No roll call was taken on the decision to postpone the vote, which shielded representatives from having their positions on the record. Instead, lawmakers shouted “aye” or “no,” and Vice Speaker of the House Michael Magaoay then ruled that the motion to delay a vote had passed.
The voice vote defers further action on the bill unless two-thirds of lawmakers vote to reconsider it; otherwise, Hawaii’s debate on the issue is over for this year.
“You can call me a coward, but we are all not cowards. We’ll make our tough decisions as we go ahead,” Democratic Speaker of the House Calvin Say said he told civil union backers. “But members were concerned, and that was my role as the speaker to make that determination and decision to do what we did today.”
Republican Gov. Linda Lingle had refused to say whether she would have vetoed a civil unions bill if lawmakers had approved it.
“Something so divisive at the beginning of session wouldn’t be a good thing, so I’m glad they made that decision,” Lingle said.
Had a civil unions bill been enacted, Hawaii would have joined California, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington, all of which grant essentially all the rights of marriage to same-sex couples without authorizing marriage itself. Five other states permit same-sex marriage: Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connecticut.
People from both sides said they were disappointed they didn’t get closure with a vote, and they pledged to fight just as hard if civil unions are proposed again next year.
“The decision not to vote on the issue, because it is an election year, it was a good idea on their part,” said Leona Kaapuni of Nanakuli. “The fact that it’s not settled is still kind of discouraging. It’s just an issue that’s going to continue.”
The Aloha State has been a battleground in the gay rights movement since the early 1990s. A 1993 Hawaii Supreme Court ruling nearly made it the first state to legalize same-sex marriage before voters overwhelmingly approved the nation’s first “defense of marriage” constitutional amendment in 1998.
The amendment gave the Legislature the power to reserve marriage to opposite-sex couples. It resulted in a law banning gay marriage in Hawaii but left the door open for civil unions.
“Hawaii has definitely been on the forefront, both good and bad, in how the movement has ebbed and flowed,” said Tony Wagner, Western Regional Field Director for the Human Rights Campaign. “Anytime you have vocal advocates on both sides with a very persuadable issue, you’re going to see action taken.”
Thanks for providing this important newsbite from AP. Does 365gay think it could have tried to post this sometime during the weekend, by the end of which this was known to every other news outlet in the free world that follows progress on LGBT rights legislation.
I’m tired of people saying we are tolerant, as if we are something horrible, to be tolerated. The catholig pig that makes himself feel better about his bigotry by spitting out that word is just that…a pig.
As for AP reporting, I don’t mind that this site is quiet during the weekend. I am nowhere near a computer on the weekend, having a life. However, the AP is not the best source of news as their writers are either biased against us or not educated enough to report properly. No civil union or state granted same sex marriage gives the same rights as marriage. Because of DOMA the government has unconstitutionally taken some of the states’ power and no state has the ability to grant gays the equal rights of marriage.
Probably ignorant, but I say potentially biased because it could be an attempt to make us look better off than we are.
I had written HI Governor Linda Lingle to tell her comments on the civil unions(inadequate though they are)are a reason why I fled the GOP years ago. And also that I will bipass Hawai’i (HI) and go to officially gay-friendly New Zealand (NZ) instead instead of wasting my tourist dollar on HI. NZ has civil unions, they are the law of the entire country in NZ, (unlike here in the USA and the problems NJ couples in civil are having with getting them respected and honored) NZ civil unions, correct me if I am wrong are respected in NZ same as NZ straight marriages.
Dennis Arakaki “Tolerant” more like ranting fanatics, How can you think you are tolerant when you spend so much energy to keep people in a second class status ? And then the Gov Linda Lingle dogding the issues saying it is not good to vote on divisive issues ?
Hawaii is off my list for a long time.
So what if a bunch of wingnuts put on T-Shirts ? Why does this keep goverment from doing their job protecting minorities ? More like lobbiest from Rome and Salt Lake city are buying a bigoted vote or better yet no vote at all.
While I really like this website perhaps the name should be changed to Monday – Friday Gay News with Holidays off. I work weekends so should somebody here.
Tom in Long Beach
Tom in Long Beach
Despite the fact that I consider Hawaii my spiritual home and used to visit quite often, I must ask the question to the general GLBTQ community, “When are we going to realize that Hawaii is one of the more anti-gay rights state in the country, controlled by evangelicals and Mormons, and adopt a general boycott of the state and the state’s services”. Hawaii has stood solidly foursquare against the advance of gay civil rights since their Supreme Court found that gay marriage was permissible and the “enlightened, tolerant” citizens of the state voted overwhelmingly to ban it.
One of the few weapons left to motivate the legislature to do it’s duty to civil and human rights is a tourism and product boycott of Hawaii. I hope the general gay community joins me in this effort.
Jim in San Francisco
My apologies, Jennifer, for criticizing harshly and out of ignorance.
Thanks, Matt! I know we look like a giant operation here, but it’s just me
“…over for this year…” but not the years to come. Some of us are going to outlive our enemies.We are not yet allowed our right to marry openly and freely but it is ok for these so called bis and hetero looking punks to attempt to hold us up in some illicit affair.Whatever! and then when thay are called out they want to run to church and ask for forgiveness that they need because of the woman they lied to in the process. you dont need an altar call you need a psychologist.
I just read the Baptist Press link that was posted by Dan. Yes it is from the Southern Baptist Convention. In the article they brag about their tactics to get the Democrats in Hawaii to change their vote, “We can come up with some good procedural reasons [for why it failed], but I don’t have a doubt in my mind that it was prayer. The rallies made a difference, he said, as did the phone calls and personal visits.” I have no doubt that prayer had anything to do with it, but the personal visits…..could it be called “strong arm tactics”, which is effective against those who are gutless and afraid to voice their true opinion because of the brainwashing religious bigots. Time for all of us in every state to vote only for those candidates that have the balls to take on the job and not to be swayed or threatened by anyone in any way. Get to know the candidates in your voting district and state, do your homework, don’t be afraid to ask the questions, like Hector Flores, senior at the University of Tampa, did last week with Obama, regarding LGBT equality in all aspects. Let the candidates know that you are a voting voice and will be keep watch on their platform on ALL issues while we also keep watch on our wallets..
We have to realize the Religious Right is using every tactic of dishonesty to encourage fear and anger– therefore getting people involved in fighting against our equality. We have to match their effort by getting more in our community involved. Promises by well-meaning politicians to stand for our equality are not match for the thousands of phone calls, letters and petitions they generate. Let us start generating our own pressure on those in government and leadership.
The government should not endorse marriages, just civil unions. Let the church do marriages only for religious purposes. If you want marriage, you have to have a civil union first to make it legal. That way, there is the separation of state and government and takes the government out of religion. Religion is a personal thing.
Exactly, the government only got involved in religious marriage, in the first place, so that there was a contract to protect the so-called weaker member of the marriage, during divorce.
Some would say what about the civil marriages, but those forget, that religion in America and throughout the European and church expansion has allowed the so-called heathens to evolved into church civilizatons by allowing them to be recognized in the manner of the religion that came to them.
Dave you are so correct. When will people realize that there is a big differance betweeen the goverment treating everyone the same (marriage equality even if it is called civil unions) and some silly ritual in a church with rented tuxes and tacky brides maids dresses, with some lying sack of $*** minister or priest. Expensive flowers that are going to die fallowed by a dry chicken meal served my bored waiters while the relative get too drunk and make asses of themselves. I
am currently married in Ca. I went to the courthouse. All I wanted was to be sure that I could visit my honey in the hospital, that no one would think they had a right to our house if one of us died, and to be more of a family for our adopted special needs son. I would also really like to be able to save money on my federal taxes and have him be able to get my social security benefits if I get hit by a bus.
Last thing I want or need is to be validated by any church.
The hateful hypocrites need to get a life. Our goverment needs to do its job and protect us from the tyranny of the majority.
Tom in Long Beach
Notice who is there – the Catholic church.
Headed by a man who just UNexcommunicated a Bishop williamson, a holocaust denier.
Anyone who gives one red cent to this church while this german pope exists should question whether they are signing their own ticket to hell, or Gods own re-education camp.