Thirty-eight unions registered

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The Hawaii Department of Health reports that, as of Thursday, it had registered a total of 38 civil unions on the Big Island since the state’s civil union law went into effect on Jan. 1.

The Hawaii Department of Health reports that, as of Thursday, it had registered a total of 38 civil unions on the Big Island since the state’s civil union law went into effect on Jan. 1.

The unions provide the same rights and privileges enjoyed by married heterosexual couples to same-sex couples.

In the nearly five months since the law, known as Act 1, went into effect, the state of Hawaii has registered a total of 331 civil unions, said Alvin Onaka, the state registrar of vital statistics.