CIvil Unions Coming Soon

This was posted on October 17th, 2011 For everyone who wants to have their civil union on January 1, 2012 it is still going to happen but the problem is that a marriage license can be issued 30 days in advance of a marriage and currently if the Hawaii were to issue civil union licenses the same way then they would have to recognize any that may be performed between December 01, 2011 and January 01, 2012. So hang loose everyone, the state is just trying to figure it all out. Sure would have been easier to just have marriage equality all around huh?

Reverend Russell Langley

About Civil Unions

The Civil Union Law
A Brief Background

The State Legislature approved Senate Bill 232 in February 2011 to recognize and establish the status of civil unions in Hawai'i. Senate Bill 232 was signed into law by Governor Neil Abercrombie on February 23, 2011 and became Act 1. The Act makes same-sex and opposite-sex couples eligible for civil union recognition beginning January 1, 2012, and grants civil union couples many of the same rights as married couples in Hawai'i.

The new law establishes all unions entered into in other jurisdictions between two individuals not recognized under Hawaii’s marriage law shall be recognized as civil unions, provided that the relationship meets the eligibility requirement of Hawaii’s civil unions chapter, has been entered into in accordance with the laws of that jurisdiction, and can be documented.

House Concurrent Resolution 205 requested the Department of Health to establish a task force for the implementation of Act 1. The first meeting of the task force was held on August 16, 2011. Task force meeting agendas and notes are available at www.hawaii.gov/doh/CUtaskforce

With the assistance of the task force, the Department of Health is currently developing the official process for the public to submit applications, pay fees, register events, and receive certificates and certified copies.

Please revisit this website for updates as more information becomes available and the legal start date for the civil union law approaches.