MEDIA RELEASE
Gov. Neil Abercrombie in 2011 signed into law civil unions, which represented Hawaii’s diversity, protected people’s privacy, and reinforced our core values of equality and aloha.
In 2012, a lawsuit was filed against Abercrombie in his official capacity claiming discrimination for failing to allow same sex couples to marry.
The governor has declined to contest the lawsuit citing elements of the civil union law. The Attorney General is defending the Department of Health in carrying out its duty under the current law.
This legislative session, there are bills to address marriage equality and Abercrombie is urging the state Legislature to hear those measures.
Abercrombie said:
“I have always supported human equality and agree with President Obama and our Congressional Delegation that all of our citizens should be treated equally.
“Hawaii is a state defined by our diversity, compassion and aloha. I encourage our state legislators to hold hearings on the marriage equality bill so that we can further discussions on equal treatment under the law.”
