Subject: HAWAII, JAN. 22
From: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 22 Jan 96 11:46:48 HST

FIRST UNION ENDORSEMENT:
	           IN TIME FOR LEGISLATIVE HEARINGS

	As of Saturday, Jan. 20, the University of Hawaii Professional
Assembly (UHPA) went on record in support of same sex marriage and domestic
partnerships---basically, it endorsed the recommendations of the majority
of the Commission on Sexual Orientation and the Law.  UHPA represents the
faculty of all campuses of the University of Hawaii:  the research campus
at Manoa, the two four-year colleges (West Oahu and Hilo), and the community
colleges which occur on all of the main islands.  This is the first official
endorsement by a union in Hawaii, a state in which union activism has a long
and powerful history.

	On Friday, the ACLU of Hawaii sent a press advisory listing prominent
religious leaders who are willing to be interviewed in support of civil rights
for gays and lesbians---including marriage rights.  This press advisory was
timed to match a Saturday rally at the State Capitol by "Hawaii's Future Today",
a grass-roots lobbying group opposed to same-gender marriage, gambling, and
prostitution.

	The House Judiciary Committee, headed by Rep. Terrance Tom, will
hold a hearing on Jan. 23, at 2 pm, on 6 bills related to same-gender marriage:
two of the bills are friendly (the commission's recommendations) and the
rest are unfriendly.  The unfriendly bills include several attempts to amend
Hawaii's constitution to over-turn the court case Baehr v. Lewin.

	Lobbying is intense over these bills; Mormons are funding
opposition to same-gender marriage and to domestic partnerships.  They've
hired Linda Rosehill to lobby for them {Ms. Rosehill is one of Hawaii's 4
members on the national Democratic party committee], and are behind "Hawaii's
Future Today".  This grass-roots organization is lead by Father Mark Alexander
(Roman Catholic church), Paul Hoag (former president of First Hawaiian Bank
and prominent Mormon lay leader), and Debbie Hartman (former member of Hawaii's
state-wide Board of Education).  This is a constellation of players similar
to those who have fought abortion rights in Hawaii for over 20 years.

	The Senate Judiciary Committee, head by Senator Rey Graulty, is
holding hearings on the report of the Commission on Sexual Orientation
and the Law on Jan. 27, at 9 am.

					Tom Ramsey
					Co-Coordinator
					Hawaii Equal Rights Marriage
					Project

P.S.  The Hawaii Equal Rights Marriage Project, HERMP, is the sole support
of the work of Dan Foley on Baehr v. Lewin (Foley is the attorney who makes
all court appearances on behalf of the plaintiff couples).  Please be generous
in support of HERMP; Hawaii is a small state, and the tiny gay and lesbian
community here is very active in advocacy work which HERMP cannot address.
Donations to HERMP are fully tax-deductible, and should be made out to
GLCC-HERMP, 1521 Alexander Street, #503 , Honolulu, HI 96822.
 
      The HERMP branch in Kona, on the Big Island, has produced a T-shirt
for sale.  One can send a check for $17.50 to HERMP, P.O.Box 902, Captain
Cook, HI 96704, together with a note about being sent a T-shirt (S, M, L,
XL, XXL).  It is also available in a tank top.  The design is multi-color
on white.  A large triangle points down, with the letters h.e.r.m.p above
the triangle, some male-male, female-female symbols in the border of the
triangle and some palm trees.  To place an email order for T-shirts, or
to obtain more information, please email [email-masked]   Thank you!