Hawaii House Of Representatives Pass Same Sex Civil Union Measure, Governor Lingle Has Until July 6th To Sign Bill Into Law

A measure allowing same sex civil union in Hawaii passed the state House of Representatives Thursday and is now on to the governor, who has yet to indicate whether or not she will sign into law the bill. The House voted 31-20 in favour of the legislation, which has stalled in committee several times, and seemed doomed to failure. It had been passed by the Senate in January. The bill will afford gay and lesbians couples the same rights and benefits the state provides to married heterosexual couples, and if approved by Republican Governor Linda Lingle, Hawaii will join California, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, and Washington as one of six states that extend the rights of marriage to same sex couples without legalizing gay marriage itself. The issue has been a contentious one: religious groups, who, last December, organized a massive demonstration outside the Hawaii State Capital, arguing that the measure means that the traditional definition of marriage is being changed by legislators without the authorization of the electorate. Lingle, who had urged legislators not to consider the same sex civil union measure this legislative session, now has 45 days to sign the bill, veto the bill, or let the bill become law without her signature.