Litigation

Hawaii Governor Vetoes Same-Sex Unions Bill

By Peter Hardin

A bill approved by Hawaii’s legislature to permit same-sex civil unions was vetoed at the last minute by Gov. Linda Lingle (photo at left).

“I have been open and consistent in my opposition to same-sex marriage, and find that House Bill 444 is essentially same-sex marriage by another name,” the Republican governor said at a news conference, according to an Associated Press article.

The legislation would have granted to gay and lesbian couples the rights and benefits that married couples enjoy.

Hawaii’s state Supreme Court issued a decision in favor of gay marriage in the early 1990s, but after a backlash, Hawaii voters chose to amend the state constitution and ban gay marriage in 1998, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Litigation may be ahead, as gay rights advocacy group Lambda Legal and the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii said they have prepared a lawsuit.

Full post as published by The Gavel on July 07, 2010 (boomark / email).