Governor Lingle vetoes civil unions bill

Civil union supporters join hands in unity and hope

Governor Lingle in a press conference today vetoed a bill that would have granted the same rights and benefits of marriage to same-sex couples. ”I have been open and consistent in my opposition to same-sex marriage, and find that House Bill 444 is essentially same sex marriage by another name,” she said. Lingle also stated the issue is of such societal importance it deserves to be decided by all the people of Hawaii.

At the end of a long road, both proponents and opponents of HB444 gathered on the steps of the State Capitol and waited for hours to hear the governor’s decision on civil unions in Hawaii. With each group claiming their separate areas, the State Capitol was physically divided today by an invisible line. It served as a sad reminder of how divisive this issue still is. 

Mahalo to Civil Beat for posting a great photo gallery documenting the scene at the Capitol today. Read national coverage of the governor’s veto on CNN and NPR.