Today, just two days after the legislative session began, the state senate voted to pass HB444, SD1. The room was packed to overflowing with opponents and proponents, and cheers erupted when to bill was passed. The disappointed opponents left quietly. The news went nationwide, with articles in such mainstream media stalwarts as The Washington Post, The Miami Herald, The New York Times and even guardian.co.uk. The measure will now go back to the House of Representatives for further action.
The House passed it by a wide margin last year, 33-17 with one member excused. But that was still one vote shy of a veto-proof two-thirds majority. It is unclear whether or not Governor Lingle (R) would veto the bill, but she does say that there are more important things for the legislature to work on, such as the state deficit and job creation.
House Speaker Calvin Say (D) (District 20 - St. Louis Heights, Palolo Valley, Wilhelmina Rise), who supports the bill, said that the house Democrats would probably meet privately on Monday to decide what to do about the bill. "During an election year, this issue is so divisive that it may hurt many of our members." (Honolulu Advertiser). He indicated that house members may be reluctant to take the matter up unless they were assured of it passing and becoming law. If vetoed by Governor Lingle, the house would need 34 votes from its 51 members to override it.
Here’s how the Senate voted today. All are Democrats except for Sam Slom and Fred Hemmings, Republicans, who both voted no.
Yes: Rosalyn Baker, Suzanne Chun Oakland, J. Kalani English, Carol Fukunaga, Brickwood Galeteria, Josh Green, Russell Kokubun, Clarence Nishihara, Colleen Hanabusa, Clayton Hee, Gary Hooser, David Ige, Les Ihara, Michelle Kidani, Dwight Takamine, Brian Taniguchi, Jill Tokuda, Shan Tsutsui
No: Robert Bunda, Will Espero, Mike Gabbard, Fred Hemmings (R), Donna Mercado Kim, Norman Sakamoto, Sam Slom (R)
Don’t know who your senator or representative is? Find out here. You can also find it in the “Helpful Links” block in the column on your left, “Find your HI rep & senator.”
The Mike Buck Show took an on-line poll late today on same-sex civil unions and at 8:45 p.m. when HPI checked, it was 5.6 percent favoring same-sex civil unions and a whopping 94.44 percent against.
Former 10-term state legislator Dennis Arakaki, now executive director of Hawaii Family Forum, said that a November poll showed that 66 percent “still believe in traditional marriage.”
Links:
Hawaii Family Forum on same-sex civil unions issue
Protect Our Keiki
Ex-judge proud of stance on gays [Honolulu Star-Bulletin]
Angry Pro-Homosexual Marriage Mob Targets Los Angeles Mormon Temple (video, 10 min 58 sec)
House Passes Same-Sex Marriage Bill (Thurs, Feb 12, 2009)
Ed Case predicts gay marriage legalization (YouTube video, posted Sept 3, 2006, 3 min 2 sec)
GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender) Marriages aka Same-Sex Civil Unions page [HPI]
Civil Union Legislation Will Set the Stage for Same Sex Marriage in Hawaii [Hawaii Reporter]
The transsexual agenda for Hawai`i schools [Hawaii Free Press]
