HONOLULU – Collette Machado, the Chairwoman of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees, has been hospitalized after a reported stroke on Friday night.

Machado collapsed at the state Capitol shortly after providing testimony in opposition to Senate Bill 1 – the same sex marriage bill – during Day Two of the marathon public hearing before the Joint House Committee on Judiciary and Finance.

News media reported Machado was in stable condition on Saturday.

Machado has taken a strong stand in opposition to SB1. The Molokai-born Machado is also a deaconess with the Ka Hale Hoano O Ke Akua Church. Last Monday (Oct. 28), she told the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Finance:

Collette Machado, 10.28.13

“I am not a bigot, and I am not homophobic. I want to acknowledge that on the front end. I’m filled with compassion and lots of aloha because that’s what my DNA is as a Native Hawaiian. I raise this issue on whether or not the fast tracking of SB1 is pertinent, or whether or not it needs more vetting out into our rural communities.”

Although Machado said she was testifying in her personal capacity, OHA nonetheless released a statement in response to questions about OHA’s stance on same-sex marriage.

On October 28th, OHA wrote:

OHA, 10.28.13

“The Office of Hawaiian Affairs has not taken any position on same-sex marriage. OHA has not funded any campaign or advertisements forwarding a particular viewpoint on the issue. In addition, any OHA official who has conveyed a position on same-sex marriage has done so in his or her personal capacity independently of OHA.”