Hawaii Positioned to Pass Same-Sex Civil Unions

HONOLULU -- Hawaii voters opened the way for same-sex civil unions to become state law next year, with an election that gave victory to a pro-gay rights gubernatorial candidate and rejected many church-backed candidates.

Oahu residents both for and against Hawaii's same-sex civil unions bill civil gathered at the Hawaii State Capitol building in Honolulu to learn if Gov. Linda Lingle will pass or veto the bill on July 6, 2010. Civil unions for Hawaii gay couples could become law early next year as a result of this week's elections. Gay-friendly Democrat Neil Abercrombie will be governor and the Democrat-controlled Legislature survived thre

The state House and Senate retained the Democratic majorities that approved a civil unions bill this year before it was vetoed, and Democratic Gov.-elect Neil Abercrombie has said he will sign a similar law if passed by the Legislature.

The move would make Hawaii, long a battleground in the gay rights movement, the sixth state to grant essentially the same rights of marriage to same-sex couples without authorizing marriage itself.

"I'm hopeful, but I would never want to call any shots until the final vote is taken," said Majority Leader Blake Oshiro, who is gay. "While I remain optimistic, there's still a lot of work to be done."

Oshiro retained his office by defeating a candidate who made civil unions a major issue with a campaign flier showing two men kissing. Only oneincumbent lawmaker who backed civil unions lost election last Tuesday despite efforts by opponents of civil unions who held large rallies to show legislators their feelings earlier this year.

Hawaii has figured prominently in the national gay rights movement's efforts since the early 1990s when the state Supreme Court nearly legalized gay marriage.

 

The 1993 ruling would have made Hawaii the first state to allow same-sex couples to wed, but it didn't take effect while voters were given a chance to decide. They responded five years later by overwhelmingly approving the nation's first "defense of marriage" constitutional amendment.

The measure gave the Legislature the power to reserve marriage to opposite-sex couples, and it resulted in a law banning gay marriage in Hawaii but left the door open for civil unions.

Five other states and the District of Columbia now permit same-sex marriage.

In April, the Hawaii Legislature passed a bill that would have conferred the same state rights of marriage to committed gay partners, but it was vetoed by Republican Gov. Linda Lingle in July.

Now for the third straight year, the civil unions issue will likely get a lot of attention when the Legislature convenes in January.

After Tuesday's election, civil unions supporters picked up at least one vote in the Senate and lost a vote in the House, which is still four more votes than the 26 needed for a bill to pass, according to Equality Hawaii, which advocates for the legislation.

By MARK NIESSE  washingtonpost.com