From: Mia H H Lam Subject: Vermont Legislature Sends "Civil Unions" To The Governor!!!! (fwd) Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2000 08:23:13 -1000 ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Tue, 25 Apr 2000 19:21:54 -1000 From: Friends Of Marriage Project Hawaii Subject: Vermont Legislature Sends "Civil Unions" To The Governor!!!! The Vermont House approved today (April 25) the Senate's version of the "Civil Unions" bill. The bill now goes to Vermont's governor, who has said that he will sign the bill into law. To read Mary Bonauto's letter about it, click on the Marriage Project Hawaii web site and look for the link near the top of the opening page: http://members.tripod.com/~MPHAWAII/ The bill proposes 3 categories: heterosexual marriage, "civil unions" for lesbian and gay couples, and "reciprocal beneficiaries" for blood relatives in need of some economic protections. The bill is a major step forward for lesbian and gay couples. It is short of marriage but closely comparable to marriage in Vermont's state law. It does not confer any status (immigration, income tax, social security, etc.) under the control of the federal government. How it ports across state lines will probably be tested by couples in many ways. Also, some of the complex interactions with federal law (e.g., in regards to retirement benefits, health insurance, etc.) will no doubt raise issues that may have to be answered by the courts. How does it compare with Hawaii's "reciprocal beneficiaries"? There are similarities and differences. Marriage Project Hawaii definitely wants to imitate Vermont's decision to separate gay and lesbian couples from heterosexual couples (typically blood relatives), with different terms ("civil unions" versus RB's). Hawaii's RB status is significantly different several aspects: "divorce" for RB's in Hawaii is a simple matter of declaration (by just one of the persons); in Vermont, divorce for "civil unions" will be comparable to divorce for married couples. RB status in Hawaii has almost nothing to do with family court: joint custody of children, etc. (although, in a sealed court case, a lesbian couple in Hawaii obtained joint adoption of a child!). 195 pages of Hawaii Revised Statutes cover the laws that somehow impact on RB's in Hawaii. All of these have been posted to the Marriage Project Hawaii web site. A great day! Tom Ramsey President, Friends of Marriage Project Hawaii PS. Do you know someong who is going to the Millenial March on Washington? If they'd like to meet the Hawaii folks there, contact Tom Humphreys and Alan Wang at htom@hawaii.edu