Hawaii Civil Unions Bill Awaits Governor's Signature

Today the Hawaii Senate followed the action of the House and voted to approve civil unions legislation that will afford same sex couples virtually all of the rights of civil law marriage. Now the bill heads to the Governor' office where Governor Neil Abercrombie has said he will sign the measure into law - unlike his hypocritical, twice divorced Republican predecessor who vetoed similar legislation lat year. Hopefully, the Maryland legislature will soon follow suit and bring full marriage to the other side of the Potomac. Here are highlights from the Honolulu Star Advertiser on today's events:
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The Hawaii Senate took its final step in clearing the way to grant same-sex couples virtually the same rights and privileges of traditional marriage, giving approval today to a bill legalizing civil unions. Senate Bill 232 was approved by a 18-5 vote.
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It now goes to Gov. Neil Abercrombie, who supports civil unions and has promised to sign the bill into law. "I have always believed that civil unions respect our diversity, protect people's privacy, and reinforce our core values of equality and aloha," Abercrombie said in a statement after the vote.
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Hawaii becomes the seventh state to grant civil unions to same-sex couples without authorizing marriage itself. Five states and Washington, D.C., permit same-sex marriage.
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"Today is a momentous day," said Sen. Clayton Hee. "There is no denying that by this action Hawaii takes a significant step towards true equality." Senate Bill 232 allows all couples -- same-sex and heterosexual -- to enter into a civil union, a legal status with all the rights, benefits, protections and responsibilities as traditional marriage.
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Twelve states now grant their LGBT citizens some form of basic equality to all their citizens. Meanwhile backwaters like Virginia give way to religious extremists and bigotry and give their best and brightest good reason to head to more progressive states. And yet Hampton Roads wonders why it has a brain drain and a net loss of college graduates.