HONOLULU — Following weeks of speculation, Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle vetoed a same-sex civil unions bill July 6, calling the proposal “marriage by another name” and saying the issue should be decided only by citizens in a statewide vote.
It was a significant defeat for homosexual activists, who had pressured the Democratic-controlled legislature to revive and pass the bill on the last day of the session in April and had hoped the governor, a Republican who opposes gay “marriage,” could be persuaded either to sign it or to let it become law without her signature.
But the bill’s opponents, led by the Christian group Hawaii Family Forum, made their voices heard in those two-plus months. Lingle’s office said 60 percent of the 30,000-plus e-mails, calls and letters were opposed to the bill, which would have granted homosexual couples all the state legal benefits of marriage, minus the name.
Opponents argued it simply would serve as a stepping stone to gay “marriage,” and they pointed to three states — Connecticut, New Hampshire and Vermont — which previously had civil unions but now recognize gay “marriage.” Hawaii would have become the 11th state to legalize either gay “marriage” or civil unions (or their equivalent).
Five states — California, New Jersey, Nevada, Oregon and Washington state — recognize civil unions or domestic partnerships.
Five other states recognize gay “marriage”: Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont. The District of Columbia also recognizes gay “marriage.” (TAB)
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