A Bill which would give same-sex couple all the rights of marriage – but without the 'marriage' name – is advancing, and LGBT equality groups are hopeful it will become law soon, reports 365gay.com. The measure would also recognise domestic partnerships formalised in other states where they are legal. Same-sex Marriages from Massachusetts and Connecticut would be regarded legally as 'civil unions'. Back in 1993, the Hawaii Supreme Court was the first in the USA to rule that barring same-sex marriage could be a violation of the state constitutional protection of equal rights. But the hot-button issue of gay marriage sparked a political storm in 1998, when almost 70% of Hawaiian voters passed a constitutional amendment giving the legislature the power to reserve marriage to opposite-sex couples. Hawaii's Civil Union Bill is expected to move from the House Judiciary Committee to the state senate next week.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News Staff
First published: Saturday, 7th February 2009 - 12:19pm