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A resolution hammered out during the Hawaii Republican Party convention May 16 “strongly urges” Gov. Linda Lingle to veto House Bill 444 allowing civil unions in Hawaii.

In case you missed it, here are few excerpts:

“Whereas Hawaii Republicans believe in the values of liberty and equality of opportunity” and “while people are free to choose their own lifestyle, not in violation of the rule of law, their choices may not always be good for all of society.”

It is in the “interest of the Government to accord special rights and privileges to the institution of marriage in order to foster and support marriage between one man and one woman so as to maintain society in the optimum family setting providing benefit to the couple and a father and a mother for any resultant offspring; no other human relationship provides that optimum setting for a child.”

If civil unions become law, “it will likely lead to same-sex marriage, as it did in Connecticut.”

“Whereas equal rights are guaranteed no matter a person’s gender, race, ethnicity or sexual orientation, no such guarantee exists for the institution of marriage.”

The resolution calls HB 444 “potentially flawed legislation” because of “the manner in which it was passed.” Multiple “legal, financial and technical aspects” of the bill require “exhaustive review and thorough scrubbing to determine all possible unintended consequences” of enacting it. Civil unions is “seen to be same-sex marriage in disguise or merely by another name.”

The resolution, which can be viewed , closes with the recommendation that the state review its 1999 reciprocal beneficiaries law.

Share your thoughts on the GOP’s position on HB 444 in our civil unions discussion.