Same-sex marriages & civil unions in Hawaii

2009-FEB: Bill HB 444 passes the
House, and refused by the Senate

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HB 444 approved by the House:

The House Judiciary Committee unanimously approved bill HB 444 on 2009-FEB-05 by a vote of 12 to 0. It then passed to the full House for a debate and vote.

The House representatives passed the bill overwhelmingly with a vote of 33 (65%) in favor, 17 opposed and 1 "excused." ₁ Rep. K. Mark Takai, D-34th (Newtown, Waiau, Pearl City) was preparing to deploy with the Hawai'i Army National Guard to Kuwait and is known to supports civil unions. ₂

Some reactions:

	State House Majority Leader Blake Oshiro, D-33rd ('Aiea, Halawa Valley, 'Aiea Heights), the bill's sponsor, said: "There will be a day when acceptance, tolerance, equity and justice are not just words, but they will be truly embodied by our actions. So let that day come closer. And let that day be today."
	State Rep. Sylvia Luke, D-26th (Pacific Heights, Pauoa, Punchbowl), complimented state Rep. Jon Riki Karamatsu, D-41st (Waipahu, Village Park, Waikele), the chairperson of the House Judiciary Committee, for moving the bill out of his committee; previous chairpersons, including herself, did not. She said: "I feel kind of ashamed that we've closed our eyes to the discrimination that has gone on."
	State Rep. Gene Ward, R-17th (Kalama Valley, Queen's Gate, Hawai'i Kai), opposed the bill. He said that civil unions are just the first step. He said: "This bill is not about equality, it's about an end run for same-sex marriage."
	State House Minority Leader Lynn Finnegan, R-32nd (Lower Pearlridge, 'Aiea, Halawa), also voted against the bill because of a desire to protect the restriction of marriage to one man and one woman. 2

Citizen Link, a news service from the fundamentalist Christian agency Focus on the Family Action quoted Caleb Price, a research analyst at Focus on the Family:

"This is yet another example of the incremental approach gay activists are employing to achieve their goal of redefining gender, marriage and the family. Most Hawaiians are likely unaware of the long-term consequences if this bill passes. The definition of marriage will be watered down and eventually changed." ₃

HB 444 received by the Senate:

Bill HB 444 was received by the Senate on 2009 FEB-13 and passed the routine first reading. ₁

According to Derrick DePledge of the Honolulu Advertiser:

"State Senate President Colleen Hanabusa, D-21st (Nanakuli, Makaha), 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." ₂

During February the Senate Committee refused to pass the bill onto the full Senate. The Senate voted on MAR-25 18 to 6 to keep it in the committee. Nine votes would have been needed to take the bill out of committee and have it voted upon by the Senate. ₅

References used:

The following information sources were used to prepare and update the above essay. The hyperlinks are not necessarily still active today.

1. Hawaii State Legislature, HB444 HD1," Generated 2009-FEB-17, at: http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/

2. Derrick DePledge, "," Honolulu Advertiser, 2009-FEB-13, at: http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/

3. "Hawaii Takes Steps Toward Same-Sex 'Marriage'," CitizenLink.com, 2009-FEB-16, at: http://www.citizenlink.org/

4. Rocjard Borreca, "Civil-union bill advances," Star Bulletin, 2009-FEB-06. at: http://www.starbulletin.com/
5. Jennifer Mesko, "Hawaii Defeats Civil Unions; Northeast Welcomes Same-Sex 'Marriage'," CitizenLink.com, 2009-MAR-26, at: http://www.citizenlink.org

Copyright © 2009 by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Originally written: 2009-FEB
Latest update and review: 2009-FEB-27
Author: B.A. Robinson

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