JUDtestimony From: mailingIist~capitol.hawaU.gov Sent: Monday, February 07, 2011 12:46 PM To: JUDtestimony Cc: debbie.shimizu~hawah.gov Subject: Testimony for SB232 on 2/812011 2:15:00 PM Attachments: Testimony Civil Unions in House JUD.doc Testimony for JUD 2/8/2011 2:15:00 PM SB232 Conference room: Auditorium Testifier position: support Testifier will be present: No Submitted by: Governor Neil Abercrombie Organization: Individual Address: Phone: E-mail: debbie.shimizu(Bhawaii.gov Submitted on: 2/7/2011 Comments: 1 EXECUTIVE CHAMBERS HONOLULU NEIL ABERCROMBIE GOVERNOR Testimony on S.B. 232 SD1 Relating to Civil Unions Governor Neil Abercrombic HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE Rep. Gilbert Keith-Agaran, Chair Rep. Karl Rhoads, Vice Chair February 8, 2011 2:15 p.m. Auditorium Chair Keith-Agaran, Vice-Chair RJaoads and members of the House Judiciary Committee: Civil unions respect our diversity, protect people’s privacy and reinforce our core values of equality and aloha. For several years now, the State Legislature has been working hard on legislation relating to civil unions. I commend you for hearing this matter, and continue to support your efforts to protect people’s civil rights as we enter into this new legislative session. I am hopeful that the legislative process will bring us together in the spirit of openness and collaboration to develop legislation that resolves the issues and ensures that all people of Hawaii will be treated equally. I look forward to signing such a measure. Thank you for this opportunity to provide written testimony. OFFICE CF THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR STATE OF HAWAII STATE CAPITOL RO. BOX 3226 HONOLULU. HAWAII 968w PHONE: 18081586-0255 F.~<: (808) 586-0231 House Committee on Judiciary Tuesday, February 8,2011 Hawaii State Capitol — Room 016 Testimony in SUPPORT of SB 232 Sf1, Relating to Civil Unions Dear Chair Keith-Agaran, Vice- Chair Rhoads, and Members of the Committee: Thank you for allowing me to testify today in support of Senate Bill 232 SD1; a bill granting the same rights, responsibilities, benefits and protections currently only available to opposite gender couples. Two years ago the legislature opened serious discussions on this issue. Since that time there has been a complete and robust debate in our community and all sides have been given the opportunity to express their views. During this time, the Iowa Supreme Court found that same gender couples should be granted equal rights under their state’s law and only a month ago the Illinois Legislature extended equal rights via civil unions to same gender couples. There is no compelling reason our state should not extend basic rights and responsibilities to everyone. I support this legislation for the thousands of couples in Hawaii and their families who want the same protections that other citizens enjoy. Thank you for the opportunity to testify. JUDtestimony From: [email protected] Sent: Monday, February 07, 2011 12:41 PM To: JUDtestimony Cc: info©pd-hawaii.com Subject: Testimony for SB232 on 2/8/2011 2:15:00 PM Attachments: S82325D1 PDH Testimonydoc Testimony for JUD 2/8/2011 2:15:00 PM 5B232 Conference room: Auditorium Testifier position: support Testifier will be present: Yes Submitted by: Josh Frost Organization: Progressive Democrats of Hawaii Address: 1418 Mokuna P1. Honolulu, HI Phone: 371-9334 E-mail: info~apd-hawaii.com Submitted on: 2/7/2011 Comments: 1 Progressive Democrats of Hawaii http://pd-hawafl.com 2457 Lamaku P1, Honolulu, HI 96816 email: info@pd-hawaiLcom JJ tel: 808.371-9334 Tuesday February 8, 2011 Relating to Senate Bill 232 SD1 Testifying in Strong Support On Behalf of Progressive Democrats of Hawai’ i Aloha Chair Keith-Agaran, Vice-Chair Rhoads, and Members of the House Judiciary Committee. Mahalo for this opportunity to present testimony in support of the intent of Senate Bill 232 SIll Relating to Civil Unions, which is identical to House Bill 444 Senate Draft 1. My name is Josh Frost and I am the Co-Chair of the Progressive Democrats of Hawai’i (PDH). As the name of our organization suggests, PDH is made up of progressive minded individuals who share, among other things, a strong belief in equal rights for everyone, regardless of age, gender, race, or sexual orientation. Our aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, friends and relatives are being treated as second-class citizens. They are voters. They are taxpayers. They are soldiers in our military. They are teachers and lawyers and laborers. Our government expects the same from them as it does heterosexuals. Since this issue was resurrected in Hawai’i in 2009, there have been great victories nationwide with regard to the GLBT community. Same-sex marriage became law in Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire and Washington D.C. Civil Unions became law in Nevada, Washington state, and Illinois. Federally, we’ve seen the passage of the Hate Crimes Prevention Act and the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. Given these developments, there is certainly a trend nationwide to equalize rights, responsibilities, and protections for same-sex couples and those belonging to the GLBT community. In Hawai’i, this bill is an enormous step toward equality for our friends and families. Despite what some opponents of Civil Unions may claim, allowing same-sex couples to enter into a Civil Union is not the same as marriage, nor does this allowance in anyway infringe on the religious beliefs of any person or group. Allowing same-sex couples to enter into a Civil Union does not detract from or lessen the sanctity or significance of marriage for opposite-sex couples. Our gay friends and family members have a harder time obtaining health and life insurance for their partners and children. They pay more in taxes than we do. If any of them choose to adopt a child, they have a much harder time going through the process, plus that child has fewer rights than a child born of, or adopted by, an opposite-sex couple. Labor an~i materials donated Progressive Democrats of Hawaii http://pd-hawafl.com 2457 Lamaku P1, Honolulu, HI 96816 email: [email protected] J tel: 808.371-9334 Simply put, this is not right. It’s not fair. I’d also like to take a moment to comment on HB1244 Relating to Solemnization. While we understand the intent of this bill, we believe it to be unnecessary and excessive. There is language which exists in HB232 SDI which addresses the concerns raised in this bill. The language is clear in Section 4, pages 3 and 4: Nothing in this section shall be construed to require any person authorized to perform solemnizations of marriages or civil unions to perform a solemnization of a civil union, and no such authorized person who fails or refuses for any reason to join persons in a civil union shall be subject to any fine or other penalty for the failure or refUsal. (c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require any person authorized to perform solemnizations pursuant to chapter 572 or civil unions pursuant to this chapter to perform a solemnization of a civil union, and no such authorized person who fails or refuses for any reason to join persons in a civil union shall be subject to any fine or other penalty for the failure or refusal. What’s more, there is judicial precedent, which also address this issue. As this issue is already addressed in SB232 SDl, we request that the House Judiciary Committee hold HB1244. Mahalo for your time and consideration. Aloha, Josh Frost 1418 MokunaPl. Honolulu, HI 96816 Labor and materials donated JUDtestimony From: mailinglist~capitol.hawaii.gov Sent: Monday, February 07, 2011 10:43AM To: JUDtestimony Cc: kris~uhpa.org Subject: Testimony for S8232 on 2/812011 2:15:00 PM Attachments: sb232sdl.PDF Testimony for 3UD 2/8/2011 2:15:00 PM 5B232 Conference room: Auditorium Testifier position: support Testifier will be present: No Submitted by: Kristeen Hanselman Organization: University of Hawaii Professional Assembly Address: 1017 Palm Drive Honolulu, HI Phone: 808-593-2157 E-mail: kris~uhpa.org Submitted on: 2/7/2011 Comments: 1 House Committee on Judiciary Tuesday, February 8, 2011 2:15 p.m. SB 232, SI) 1, Relating to Civil Unions. Dear Chairperson Keith-Agaran and Committee Members: On behalf of the Board of Directors of the University of Hawaii Professional Assembly, we wish to support passage of SB 232, SD I, Relating to Civil Unions. It is our belief that this legislation will advance equal rights for all individuals and their families by recognizing civil unions. UNPA negotiates non-discrimination protections in its contract and actively does its part to ensure our citizens are afforded fUll access to legal rights and economic benefits. It is time for broader acceptance of equal rights for all. UHPA has supported this proposed legislation for a number of years. It is time to enact this legislation Respectfully submitted, Kristeen Hanselman Associate Executive Director UNIVERSITT OF HAWAII PROFESSIONAl ASSEMBLY 1017 Palm Drive Honolulu, Hawaii 96814-1928 Telephone: (808) 593-2157 . FacsImile: (808) 593-2160 Web Page: http://wwwubpa.org JUDtestimony From: mailinglist~capitol.hawafl.gov Sent: Monday, February 07, 2011 10:01 AM To: JUDtestimony Cc: director~hawaUdemocrats.org Subject: Testimony for HB1244 on 2/8/2011 2:15:00 PM Attachments: Cu House.dot Testimony for 3UD 2/8/2011 2:15:00 PM HB1244 Conference room: Auditorium Testifier position: comments only Testifier will be present: Yes Submitted by: Debi Hartmann Organization: Democratic Party of Hawai’i Address: 1050 Ala Moana Blvd. Honolulu, HI Phone: 596-2980 E-mail: directori~hawaiidemocrats,org Submitted on: 2/7/2011 Comments: 1.