LIHU‘E — A proposed civil unions bill in the state Legislature has again drawn the attention of opponents and proponents on Kaua‘i. Critics of House Bill 444 gathered along Kaumuali‘i Highway in Lihu‘e, Sunday, to express their opposition to legislation
LIHU‘E — A proposed civil unions bill in the state Legislature has again drawn the attention of opponents and proponents on Kaua‘i.
Critics of House Bill 444 gathered along Kaumuali‘i Highway in Lihu‘e, Sunday, to express their opposition to legislation that would extend the same rights, benefits, protections, and responsibilities of spouses in a marriage to partners in a civil union.
“We’ve heard they’re going to pull it out of committee and vote on it early in the legislative session which starts Wednesday,” said JoAnne Georgi, organizer of the Sunday sign-waving event. “All of this could happen as early as this week and we just want to make people aware of this.”
HB444 was introduced in the Legislature on Jan. 26, 2009, and was carried over to the 2010 session on May 11, 2009.
About three dozen people, many parishioners from King’s Chapel and New Hope churches, joined Georgi in the demonstration.
“There is a similar event taking place on O‘ahu in front of the state capitol,” she said. “There are a lot more churches and organizers there. They are expecting about 24,000 people in a sign-waving event and rally. Almost all of the churches are against HB444.”
Renae Hamilton, executive director of the Young Women’s Christian Association of Kaua‘i, said in an e-mail that she is supporting a sign-waving event Wednesday for proponents of HB444.
Lawmakers are saying there may be a vote in the Senate on HB444 within the first two weeks of the new session, according to the YWCA e-mail.
Gov. Linda Lingle is calling for the Senate to postpone any action on the bill in light of the dire economic situation, saying this would be a “distraction” and could be taken up in the “years” ahead.
Civil rights are not a distraction and should not have to wait any longer, the YWCA e-mail states.
Hamilton is encouraging proponents to turn out in front of the Historic County Building from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, coinciding with the opening of the Legislature.
For more information, call Hamilton at 635-3024, or Kipukai Kualii at 212-9192. For more information, visit the PFLAG Kauai Facebook page.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
