MEDIA RELEASE

HONOLULU — The Hawai‘i State Department of Health (DOH) today announced new information about the state’s upcoming civil union on-line application process scheduled to be activated on January 1, 2012 at 12:00 a.m.

“People in Hawai‘i and in other parts of the world are eager to get more information and begin planning their civil union ceremonies in Hawai‘i,” said Dr. Alvin Onaka, DOH state registrar. “We will be ready at midnight on January 1 with an accurate and efficient on-line process that will serve the public well for submitting applications, paying fees, registering events, and receiving their certificates for civil unions.”

DOH currently lists frequently asked questions and answers about the civil union law at www.hawaii.gov/doh/civilunion The FAQ includes answers to questions such as: who will be eligible to apply for a civil union? What are the steps for getting a civil union? How do I receive a civil union license? And how do I register my civil union with the State?

The DOH monitors health status to identify community health problems and trends. An important part of this work is done by collecting, compiling, and analyzing records of vital events that include all births, deaths, marriages and now civil unions that take place within our state.