As early as Tuesday, we may know whether the State of Hawai`i will enact civil unions for same-sex couples.
I've been diarying about this for the past couple of weeks. Please check my archives for some background information:
http://www.dailykos.com/...
Supporters of civil unions were greeted with a bleak headline in yesterday's Honolulu Advertiser (the state's leading newspaper):
Hawaii civil unions bill stalled amid procedural concerns
But they're not getting discouraged. In fact, vigils are being staged statewide tonight.
Additional news and, more important, tips on how to help the cause follow below.
Here are the latest details in Friday's story by the Advertiser's excellent political reporter Derrick DePledge:
State Senate leaders are wavering on whether to revive a civil-unions bill by pulling it from committee and are discussing possible amendments to advance it while preserving the integrity of the committee process.
Under the state Constitution, it would take nine of the 25 senators in the chamber to recall the bill. The soonest the bill could come to the floor by this procedure is Tuesday — 20 days after it was first referred to the Senate Judiciary and Government Operations Committee — but senators indicated that such a vote would not happen until later.
State Senate President Colleen Hanabusa . . . said earlier reports that the Senate had the votes to pull the bill from committee and to pass it on the floor were accurate at the time. But she said some senators are now looking at other factors, including the importance of maintaining the committee process.
"My position is that we need to ensure that the Senate does not damage itself, and I'm talking about the relationships among senators, as a result of any action taken," Hanabusa said. . . .
. . . [T]he Senate is guided by internal rules and has only rarely voted to pull a bill that has stalled in committee. The Senate Judiciary and Government Operations Committee deadlocked 3-3 last month on the civil-unions bill.
So, that's the bad news.
The good news is that the Democrats have a 23-2 majority in the Senate - and support for civil unions has long been part of the party's platfrom. Clearly, the Senate can be convinced to do the right thing. And here's how you can help, no matter where you live:
- Register with and donate to the Family Equality Coalition:
http://familyequalitycoalition.org
- Donate to the ACLU of Hawai`i:
http://www.acluhawaii.org
- Simultaneously e-mail all 25 senators:
sens@Capitol.hawaii.gov
- Sign the Human Rights Campaign petition.
Finally, if you're in Hawai`i, participate in one of tonight's vigils. Here's the message from Human Rights Campaign:
Lama I Ke Kukui
Saturday, March 7 (TONIGHT)
6:00 p.m.
Oahu: By the Queen Liliuokalani statue at The Capitol (Beretania Street);
Big Island/Kona: Old Kona Airport Beach State Park (off Highway 19, West Hawaii);
Big Island/Hilo: Kalakaua Park (Kinoole Street, Hilo);
Maui: Good Shepherd Episcopal Church (2140 Main St., Wailuku);
Featuring chanters, hula halau, prayer, song and speakers, the Light up the Night for Equality vigils are organized to show support for the values of tolerance, acceptance and diversity that have made Hawaii and its spirit of aloha unique for generations.