Date: Mon, 07 Jul 1997 19:29:40 -1000
From: lambda@aloha.net (Martin Rice)
Subject: SA 053:  Updates:  RB registration, media and ConCon (again!)

Aloha ahi ahi kakou.

Several things to be updated:

On Kaua`i this afternoon, with the long-distance assistance of Bill Woods on
O`ahu, we had our group registration and "Mailbox Blessing" in Lihu`e.  A
big mahalo-->MAHALO-->to all those who participated.

The GARDEN ISLAND and HONOLULU STAR-BULLETIN sent reporters to cover the
story, and The KAUA`I TIMES sent their photographer.  The reporters will
file their stories, and I'll broadcast whatever gets into print.
Additionally, radio station KHNR in Honolulu conducted a telephone interview
and will broadcast segments of that conversations tomorrow morning on O`ahu.

Tomorrow is the deadline for the Governor to sign HB 118, *but* even without
his signature, the bill will become law as the veto deadline passed June 23rd.

Tomorrow is also the day that certificates for the new Reciprocal
Beneficiary Law start being processed.

Tomorrow will also have a live broadcast on the FOX affiliate (Channel 2 on
Kaua`i and O`ahu) at 7:10am HST at the Department of Health with Bill Woods.

HOWEVER, of major import, was news broadcast this evening on the FOX
affiliate in Honolulu that the Hawai`i Constitution Convention ballot
question was taken to Federal Court and a ruling by Judge Ezra is expected
by week's end.  

This catches many people, myself included, off-guard, who had no idea that
the Hawai`i Supreme Court's decision on the Constitutional Convention had
been challenged.  If Judge Ezra rules in favor of the plaintiffs, then the
whole question of same-gender marriage, along with many other hot-button
issues, would be put before the Convention, so that despite whatever gains
that have been made, and whatever outcome is decided at the polls in 1998,
the marriage questions could all be up in the air again.  I will keep you
posted of developements as they happen.  Honesttogod--does it ever end?

~~pau~~


  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  "If it's don't ask, don't tell, don't pursue, then why did
  they paint Tripler Army Medical Center that shade of pink?"  
                                          --buddy Ken Jopling
                                          (upon seeing it for 
                                              the first time)
                              ~~~~~
                         Fred and Martin
                            24 years,
                      yet strangers before
                         the law (still)
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~