Today (Feb. 4) both the state House and Senate will hold hearings on HB 1130 and SB 5398 & 5400. The bills, patterned on the federal "Defense of Marriage [sic] Act," are bigoted, homophobic attempts to prevent recognition here if Hawai'ian courts uphold the legality of same-sex marriages there. Expect impassioned, Bible-thumping family values testimony from twice-divorced legislators who secretly beat their kids or worse.

Of course, the long-fought-for legislation to ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation has no chance this year. Sadly, that will be the fate of almost any sensible solutions to our state's needs.