[权益] 夏威夷同性婚姻法正式生效【转】

姜昊

美国夏威夷州州长艾伯克伦比（Neil Abercrombie）23日签署州议会通过的允许同性恋者民事结合（civil unions）的法案，让当地同性恋者也能享有与其他已婚人士相同的权利。
    这项法案将在2012年元月1日正式生效，届时夏威夷将成为美国第七个允许同性恋者民事结合或给予相关承认的州。
    将近20年来，夏威夷社会赞同和反对同性恋结合的两派势力不断拉钜；反对人士大多为基督徒，他们认为，允许同性恋者民事结合将腐蚀传统的家庭观，并且进而迈向允许同性恋者合法结婚。
    历经选战、公开听证会以及民众的示威抗争，夏威夷州众议会和州参议院终於在这个月稍早，先后通过允许同性恋者民事结合的法案；艾伯克伦比当时就表示，他会签署这项法案。艾伯克伦比说，他一直认为，允许同性恋者民事结合，是保护人民隐私、尊重多元、强化爱与平等的核心价值；对他而言，这项法案代表全体夏威夷民众的权利平等。
    所谓民事结合，是指由法律、也就是民事法所确立、保护 2人等同或类似婚姻的结合关系。

附：美国其他允许同性婚姻或民事结合的地方。
United States:

United States:

New Jersey: On December 14, 2006 the New jersey legislature approved a bill allowing same-sex civil unions民事结合. Civil Unions became available in New Jersey in February 2007.

California: Gay and lesbian couples can register as domestic partners in California. Couples who register are eligible for many of the same state rights as heterosexual married couples, but only in the state of California. The rights of civil unions do not transfer from state to state like marriage does.

Hawaii offers reciprocal beneficiary rights to same-sex couples. Some of the rights granted are: inheritance without a will, ability to sue for the wrongful death, hospital visitation and health care decisions.

Maine instituted a domestic partner registry in 2004. Maine's law mostly benefits couples if one dies: inheritance without a will, the right to make funeral arrangements and the ability to be named guardian if partner becomes incapacitated.

Washington State offers registered gay and lesbian couples all the rights of marriage via domestic partnerships.

Nevada domestic partnerships offer all of the same state wide benefits of marriage.

Oregon offers a comprehensive domestic partnership law that offers all the state benefits of marriage.

转自：米国拉拉生活网~http://lesbianlife.about.com/cs/wedding/a/wheremarriage.htm

姜昊

英语退步了~~~~~:s16