Hawaii lawmakers kill civil unions bill - do you really want to vacation there?

[Ian David]

March 01, 2007

Gay, bisexual, lesbian, and transgendered advocates decried the demise of a bill before House lawmakers that would have created civil unions for same-sex couples in Hawaii.

"It was obviously very discouraging to feel that the unequal treatment of the minority is going to be perpetuated because people are afraid of not being re-elected," said Jo-Ann Adams, head of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Caucus for the Democratic Party of Hawaii.

The bill was shelved in the House Judicial Committee late Tuesday night, and advocates blamed Committee Chairman Tommy Waters.

Waters (D, Lanikai-Waimanalo) said last night that he deferred a vote on the bill after he asked committee members how they would vote.

"It was going to die," he said. "It would have died at the table so rather than killing the measure I deferred the bill. The bill is still alive, so I'm encouraging the GLBT caucus and the other side to come back to the table and lets work out a compromise. Let's talk about what rights are being denied and let's provide them," he said.

More:
http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2007/03/hawaii-lawmakers-kill-civil-unions-bill.html

[mitchtv]

1. While not exactly Jamaica

It would be worth it to initiate a gay boycott of HI. I prefer Costa Rica myself. It has everything HI used to have.

[Solo_in_MD]

2. Surprising considering the high level of tolerance over there and the highly democrat/repub ratio

They were an early adopter of abortion rights and have always had a larger than average share of women in political leadership roles.

[foreigncorrespondent]

3. I was meant to...

...honeymoon in Hawaii, but that won't be happening now. And given the circumstances, this is one place I am never likely to be visiting.

[Not Me]

4. I lived in Hawaii for a while in the late '90's

During the first round of gay marriage court actions. It was nasty, and led by the Catholic and Mormon churches.
I was back in 2000, 2001 and have no real desire to return soon.

[Quetzal]

6. I am not going to forget that

It was unreal how much hostility there was toward Gay Marriage - I don't think the folks in Hawaii realized what was hitting them.

The Mormons and Catholics were sending in TONS of money here to Hawaii to fight gay marriage. And one of the leaders of their organizations is now in the State Senate, Mike Gabbard (R-Kapolei). The most HATEFUL man I have ever seen here in Hawaii.

I think a lot of Democratic lawmakers were just stunned at how much of a stir these anti-gay marriage groups caused and just did not want to touch the issue again. It was such a divisive issue in Hawaii at the time, and to some degree, still is today. The Democrats just don't want to touch this at all for fear it will open a pandora's box.

[NMMNG]

5. No

I'll stick to AZ. I love the desert. :-)