A civil union is a legally recognized relationship between members of a same-sex couple, with rights similar to those of a marriage relationship.
In Hawaii, civil unions are legally recognized relationships that provide same-sex couples with rights and benefits similar to those of marriage. The Hawaii Civil Union Act, which took effect on January 1, 2012, allows any couple, regardless of their sex, to enter into a civil union. Partners in a civil union have the same rights, benefits, protections, and responsibilities under state law as those granted to spouses in a marriage. This includes areas such as state taxes, inheritance, workers' compensation benefits, health insurance, and hospital visitation rights. It's important to note that while civil unions offer many of the same state-level legal benefits as marriage, they may not always be recognized by other states or at the federal level in the same way that a marriage is.