Hawaii

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.

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 no debate, essentially kills the bill this session, since it would require a two-thirds majority to bring the bill back for consideration. Gay rights activists […]

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. The bill now goes back to the House, which passed it last year, but has yet to decide if it will vote on the bill. […]

University of Hawai’i head football coach Greg McMackin was suspended without pay for 30 days and will take a voluntary 7 percent pay cut from his $1.1 million salary after he used a gay slur during a Western Athletic Conference press conference yesterday in Salt Lake City, school officials announced. McMackin, who will lose approximately […]