The Hawaii State Senate on Friday passed a civil unions bill that would grant same-sex and heterosexual partners essentially the same protections, rights and benefits currently extended to married couples.

Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie (D) has nominated lesbian judge Sabrina McKenna to the state's Supreme Court. “I don't think I ever would have imagined achieving this kind of honor in my life,” McKenna said. “I do think that the world is changing, and I think that my appointment is an example of that.”

The Hawaii Civil Unions Bill has made it out of committee by a vote of 3-2 and now advances to the full Senate. The measure is expected to pass easily and Democratic Gov. Neil Abercrombie, a gay rights supporter, said he would sign the bill if passed by the Legislature.

2011 will likely see a number of battles state by state across the country. Three states plus the District of Columbia are facing the prospect of losing marriage equality, an additional seven states could start the process of amending their state constitutions to ban marriage equality, five could gain marriage equality.

Neil Abercrombie has been elected Hawaii’s next governor, becoming the first Democrat to hold the seat in eight years, clearing the way for same-sex civil unions to become state law next year.

A group of same-sex couples are suing the state of Hawaii, alleging violations of constitutional rights in the wake of Governor Linda Lingle's veto of civil unions bill that would have given same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexual couples.

The once-progressive Aloha state seems doomed for Republican takeover, following lame duck Governor Linda Lingle's veto yesterday of a same-sex civil unions bill passed last month by the state legislature.

Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle vetoed a civil unions bill Tuesday that would have given same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexual couples, saying the issue needs to be put to a referendum.

The Hawaii state House, conflicted by emotion and election-year politics, voted yesterday to indefinitely postpone action on a civil-unions bill, reports the Honolulu Advertiser. The voice vote, which came after [...]

The state Senate voted 18-7 on Friday to approve a bill recognizing civil unions in Hawaii, giving gay and opposite sex partners the same rights and benefits as married couples. [...]