This update just in from Tony Wagner, HRC’s Western Regional Field Director. Hawaii is 6 hours behind Washington, DC, so it’s still morning in the Aloha State!
For months, proponents of civil unions in Hawaii have been working diligently to enact the bill into law. After passing the state House on a 33-17 vote, the bill was stalled in the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Government Affairs. Since this occurrence, HRC, the Family Equality Coalition and other coalition partners have significantly increased our activities to bolster our argument that this bill enjoys wide public support. In the past 10 days, we have held a labor/civil rights/native Hawaiian press conference, released a new poll showing broad public support, delivered research on supportive businesses, held a faith leaders press conference, held multiple honk and waves with more than 100 people participating in each one, attended fundraisers to speak with state Senators and generated thousands of emails/phone calls/hand written notes to the Senators.
The Hawaii Senate convenes today at 11:30 AM HST and we’re expecting a vote today to end the Senate Judiciary Committee deadlock on the civil unions bill, making the bill eligible for a full Senate floor vote. Majority Leader Gary Hooser will make the motion to bring the bill onto the Senate floor; nine of the 25 senators must vote to do so. The AP is reporting that Senate President Colleen Hanabusa and Judiciary Chairman Brian Taniguchi intend to oppose the maneuver.
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For months, proponents of civil unions in Hawaii have been working diligently to enact the bill into law. After passing the state House on a 33-17 vote, the bill was stalled in the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Government Affairs. Since this occurrence, HRC, the Family Equality Coalition and other coalition partners have significantly increased our activities to bolster our argument that this bill enjoys wide public support. In the past 10 days, we have held a labor/civil rights/native Hawaiian press conference,
