Hawaii Senate passes civil-unions bill, 18-7

[The Sushi Bandit]

Source: Honolulu advertiser

18-7 vote is enough to override potential veto from governor

Posted on: Saturday, January 23, 2010

The state Senate yesterday passed a civil unions bill with enough votes to override a potential veto, sending a strong message of support to the state House and Gov. Linda Lingle.

The 18-7 vote came after many senators, conscious that they may be making history, described civil unions as part of the same long path toward equality as voting rights were for women and civil rights were for blacks.

The bill would give both same-sex and heterosexual couples the ability to enter into civil unions and have the same rights, benefits and responsibilities as marriage under state law.

Senate Democrats met the veto-proof cushion that state House leaders said they wanted to see after watching the Senate fumble with civil unions last year. The House passed a civil unions bill last session that applied only to same-sex couples, but now will consider whether to send the Senate version to the governor.

Dozens of gay rights advocates in the Senate gallery exploded with joy and relief after the vote, while religious conservatives filed silently out of the chamber, knowing the debate is not over.


Read more: http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20100123/NEWS01/1230329/Hawaii+Senate+passes+civil-unions+bill++18-7

[demoleft]

1. good news. rec. n/t

[Oceansaway]

2. K&R...n/t

[marshall]

3. Hawaii has been extremely forward thinking on this issue

While I was living there they introduced a measure worded something like "Any two adults who cannot legally marry may apply as domestic partners" and receive state benefits, etc. Many households that were composed of close relatives such as grandfather/granddaughter, adult siblings, etc., were eligible. It is refreshing to see a move to afford rights to as broad a group as possible, and not just certain groups. As State Senator Baker says:

"What I see is an acknowledgement that there are all kinds of families, that there are all kinds of relationships, and all of those deserve to be treated equally under the law."

[customerserviceguy]

4. How's it looking over in the Hawaii House?

It takes two chambers of a bicameral legislature to overturn a governor's veto.

[winyanstaz]

5. K & R....

good news for many people.
I have some gay friends that live there and want to marry...they are wonderful people and deserve to be able to be a recognized family unit.
Thanks Hawaii :)

[47of74]

6. Teabaggers going on about how Hawaii is a foreign country in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1....

All the Teabaggers will probably say this is even more evidence of how Hawaii is a foreign place.

[The Sushi Bandit]

8. Well i guess they are right!

[tomm2thumbs]

7. 'religious conservatives filed silently out of the chamber' - as they should

shame should be expressed in silence