Initiated in the Hawaii Senate and substantively similar to 2010's Hawaii House Bill 444, which was vetoed by then-Governor Linda Lingle.

The bill was passed on January 26, 2011, by the Senate Judiciary and Labor Committee in a 3–2 vote[1] and was passed by the full Senate 19-6 on January 28.

[2] A modification to the bill was then made in the House of Representatives before passage on February 11 by a vote of 31–19,;[3][4] the Senate passed the modified bill on February 16 by a vote of 18–5.

As of the passed modification of the bill by the House on February 11, the bill provides for an extension of the privileges provided by the current regime of reciprocal beneficiary relationships in the state.

The extension will essentially make civil unions performed and recognized in Hawaii compatible with civil unions and domestic partnerships performed in other states of the United States where such unions are legalized for same-sex couples.