2009 Legislative Session: Action Notice!

Civil Unions Scheduled for Hearing

Thursday, February 5, 2009, 2:00 p.m.

Conference Room #325

HB444, (click here for link to bill) which would establish civil unions, has been scheduled for hearing in the House Judiciary.   (You may also click the title above for the hearing notice.)

As we told you before, the bill is sponsored by 32 House members.  The house members who signed this bill are: B. OSHIRO, BELATTI, BERG, BERTRAM, BROWER, CARROLL, CHONG, COFFMAN, HANOHANO, KARAMATSU, KEITH-AGARAN, C. LEE, M. LEE, LUKE, MORITA, NAKASHIMA, NISHIMOTO, M. OSHIRO, RHOADS, SAIKI, SAY, TAKAI, TAKUMI, THIELEN, TSUJI, WAKAI, YAMANE, YAMASHITA, CHANG, HERKES, SHIMABUKURO, and WOOLEY.

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A number of those listed above, are members of the House Judiciary Committee.  The media, and many proponents, expect this bill to pass the House relatively easily.  Both Hawaii Family Forum and the Roman Catholic Church in the Hawaii support fixing Hawaii’s reciprocal beneficiary law to provide benefits to those in need in a way that is NOT based on sex partner status; however, some legislators (and supporters of civil unions) are not interested in fixing reciprocal beneficiaries.  They prefer to establish civil unions.

PHASE I: CONTACT THE HOUSE JUDICIARY

1.  We urge you to contact members of the House Judiciary Committee.   (This link will send an email to the entire Judiciary Committe)

2.  Submit testimony by 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday to the House Judiciary Committee at:  JUDTestimony@capitol.hawaii.gov.

3.  Also email your own legislators as soon as possible to urge them to oppose HB 444. 

(Click here if you do not know who your legislator is)

Remind them kindly and respectfully that the people have spoken overwhelmingly against same-sex marriage.  (If you need talking points or more information, click here.)

PHASE 2:  CONTACT THE SENATE JUDICIARY

The real battle will be in the Senate. WE MUST FOCUS OUR EFFORTS IN THE SENATE RIGHT NOW, even though the bill is not yet there. 

(To send one email to the entire Senate Judiciary Committee, click here).