A civil unions bill "substantively similar" to the measure vetoed by the previous governor last year passed a Hawaii Senate committee, reports the Star-Advertiser.
Senate Bill 232 passed the Senate Judiciary and Labor Committee by a 3-2 vote, after a hearing that lasted just over two hours. The proposal in SB 232 is substantively the same as House Bill 444, Senate Draft 1, that Gov. Linda Lingle vetoed last year, calling it same-sex marriage by another name. It would grant same-sex and heterosexual couples the ability to enter into civil unions and receive the same rights, benefits and responsibilities as marriage under state law.
Supporters and opponents packed the Capitol Auditorium for the hearing on SB 232, but the crowd was substantially smaller than last year, when the hearing lasted 18 hours. Testimony was roughly split.
Alan Spector, co-chairman of Equality Hawaii, urged lawmakers to consider incorporating elements of SB 231, a similar bill crafted by Abercrombie's policy advisers, gay activists and select lawmakers and written to ensure that the rights extend to applicable health, insurance and tax codes.
The bill heads to the Senate floor for the second of three required votes by the full chamber. A House version has not yet been introduced but could be introduced as soon as tomorrow.
HB 444, the previous Hawaii civil unions bill, passed by the legislature in April 2010. Hawaii's twice-divorced and lame duck Republican Gov. Linda Lingle vetoed HB444 last July to "protect" traditional marriage. Democratic Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie, the pro-equality former longtime congressman, has vowed to sign a civil unions bill.
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