Hawaii

The Intermediate Court of Appeals of the State of Hawai`i affirmed a lower court ruling against a Hawai`i bed and breakfast that denied a room to a lesbian couple because of their sexual orientation.

Lambda Legal and the Hawai‘i Civil Rights Commission today urged the Intermediate Court of Appeals of the State of Hawai`i to reject a new argument that the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores allows a commercial business operating a bed and breakfast to refuse accommodation to a lesbian couple, and thereby violate Hawai`i’s antidiscrimination law, by invoking the business owner’s religious beliefs as a defense.

In the past three weeks, three new states have been added to the marriage equality list. We can hardly catch our breath.

The First Circuit Court of Hawai‘i yesterday issued a ruling in favor of a lesbian couple who filed a discrimination lawsuit against Aloha Bed & Breakfast after the business turned them away because of their sexual orientation.