Gov. Linda Lingle says she still has not decided whether she will sign the measure authorizing civil unions, but adds she has concerns on the bill's language.

“;I did have a chance to read the bill and it does appear to me, on reading it, that it really is same-sex marriage, but by a different name,”; Lingle said yesterday during a break from the state Republican Party Convention.

Lingle has until July 6 to veto, sign or let the bill become law without her signature. The bill did not pass with the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto.

Republican convention delegates approved a resolution urging the governor to veto the measure, House Bill 444. Many of the roughly 600 party members at the convention openly displayed their opposition, sporting red sticker buttons reading “;Veto HB 444.”;

Lingle opposes same-sex marriage but said she still plans to continue meetings with advocates on both sides of the issue.

“;I want to wait and hear people out,”; she said. “;I'll also say that I've gone back and forth as people have written in to me—people I respect a lot.”;

During her 2002 campaign, Lingle said she would not stand in the way if the Legislature passed a measure granting domestic partnerships, which would have granted some rights of marriage to same-sex couples.

House Bill 444 would provide the same rights, benefits and protections as traditional marriage to a couple—regardless of gender—in a civil union.

Alan Spector, legislative affairs co-chairman for Equality Hawaii, said the terms “;domestic partnership”; and “;civil union”; are interchangeable, but neither equates to same-sex marriage.

“;Marriage is an extremely important social institution with deep meaning and common social understanding,”; Spector said in a phone interview. “;Marriage is far more than just a package of legal rights. Civil unions are just a package of legal rights that's devoid of the social meaning of marriage.”;

At the convention, the resolution urging Lingle to veto HB 444 was passed by a voice vote, with a small minority voicing opposition.

The resolution states, in part, that the Legislature passed HB 444 on the last day of the 2010 session “;without adequate public notice and without respect for sound public policy,”; and describes the proposal as “;same-sex marriage in disguise or merely by another name.”;

Lt. Gov. James “;Duke”; Aiona, an opponent of civil unions who is running to succeed Lingle, also derided the Legislature's actions in his speech to the convention.

“;There is no merit in circumventing the will of the people through last-minute political maneuvering to establish the equivalent of same-sex marriage,”; he said.