The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a complaint alleging that the Department of Land and Natural Resources is discriminating against unmarried couples who want to live together on boats in state-run harbors.

The ACLU says the department won't allow Bruce Lenkeit and Susan Carstenn to obtain live-aboard and parking permits, or other benefits afforded to spouses of boat harbor tenants.

The group contends that violates Hawai'i law prohibiting marital status discrimination.

The complaint was filed with the Hawai'i Civil Rights Commission after almost a year of unsuccessfully discussing the case with state officials.

There was no immediate response to a request for comment from the state attorney general's office.