Senate Kills Expanding Civil Union Religious Exemption

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After 90 minutes of passionate testimony on both sides of the issue, Senate Judiciary and Labor and Senate Health voted to remove language in House Bill 2569 that would have expanded religious exemptions for civil union ceremonies.

At issue is whether the bill would violate the state’s public accommodations law.

Judiciary Chair Clayon Hee said HB 2569 should be about technical fixes to Hawaii’s civil unions law. Instead, thanks to a House amendment, the measure opened up old arguments pitting religious groups against equal rights groups.

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