HAWAII – Lawmakers in Hawaii have approved a bill to allow civil unions for same-sex couples, marking an end to what the governor called an “emotional process” in this long battle for equality.
A spokesperson for Democratic Governor, Neil Abercrombie, said that he intends to sign the bill into law within two weeks. This means civil unions would begin Jan. 1, 2012 making the state the seventh in the nation to grant essentially the same rights of marriage to same-sex couples without authorizing marriage itself.
The bill passed after the Senate’s 18-5 vote and a crowd of supporters wearing rainbow colored lei and stickers saying Equality cheered.
The anxiously awaited civil unions vote came immediately after the Senate confirmed the state’s first openly gay Supreme Court justice, Sabrina McKenna.
Gay rights advocates praised the vote as a victory for equal rights in a state known for its diversity and tolerance.
Opponents of the measure said civil unions erode the concept of the traditional family and could lead to same-sex marriage.
The Hawaii Legislature also passed a similar bill last year, but it was vetoed by then-Gov. Linda Lingle, a Republican. She was term-limited from running for election again in November.
