Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Lawmakers shouldn’t be shy about a vote on HB444—you’re on record anyway
by Larry Geller
The popular wisdom is that state legislators are afraid to vote one way or the other on the civil unions bill, HB444, because this is an election year.
While voters may indeed have short memories, the Internet does not. Despite the voice-vote last time, thanks to the exit poll conducted by Adrienne LaFrance in the Honolulu Weekly (Roll Call, 2/3/2010) we already know basically where each stands. And that article will still be around come November.
So legislators need not be afraid to do the right thing. There already is a record.
The movement to get HB444 up for a vote is still strong and vibrant (see: Honolulu Advertiser, Hawaii civil union advocates aim to bolster lawmakers' support, 4/27/2010). It didn’t go away after the February vote.
When an advocacy movement is this persistent and has so much popular support, which is better, to respond to it now or to test whether it will be around at election time? This one shows every sign it will be back.
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