Colorado Civil Unions Bill Gets Another Panel's Approval

WASHINGTON - JUNE 20: Governor of Colorado John Hickenlooper (L) speaks as Governor of Virginia Bob McDonnell (R) listens during the 2011 Governors Summit of U.S. Chamber of Commerce June 20, 2011 in Washington, DC. The summit was to focus on policies that help states to attract businesses and to improve the economy. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

DENVER -- A bill to allow civil unions for gay couples in Colorado must survive two more votes in the Republican-led House before it gets to the governor's desk, but it appears closer than in any other year to becoming law.

If the legislation passes, Colorado would join more than a dozen states that allow gay marriage or civil unions. Hawaii and Delaware began allowing civil unions earlier this year.

The measure does not allow gay marriage but does grant gay couples rights similar to marriage, including enhanced inheritance and parental rights, and the ability to be involved in partner's medical decisions.

So far Colorado Democrats have been able to advance the bill past two Republican-led House committees. The finance committee approved the measure with a 7-6 vote Friday after the bill passed the House judiciary committee late Thursday.

Rep. Don Beezley was the only Republican to support the measure on the finance panel.

"For me, it really came down to that basic issue of fairness and doing the right thing," Beezley said, echoing a similar comment made by Republican Rep. B.J. Nikkel, who joined Democrats on the judiciary committee in approving the measure.

The bill now goes before the appropriations committee. Democrats on that panel unanimously support the bill and need at least one Republican to vote yes for it to go to the full House.

Republican Rep. Cheri Gerou, a member of the appropriations committee, previously said she supports the measure.

Republicans have a 33-32 vote advantage in the House. But given the committee votes, where Republicans joined Democrats, the bill could have enough support for passage.

"I'm very excited," said a smiling Rep. Mark Ferrandino, a Democrat and gay lawmaker sponsoring the bill. "We're one step closer today than we were yesterday, and yesterday we were one step closer than we've ever been."

The state Senate has already approved the bill and it could reach Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper by Wednesday, when the session ends. He is firmly in support.

Republicans who oppose the bill said it undermines traditional marriage and that voters expressed their position on the issue when they banned same-sex marriage in 2006.

Earlier Friday, Republican House Speaker Frank McNulty gave his colleagues a pointed warning from the podium, urging them not to attack the motives of legislators on pending legislation. He later told The Associated Press he was referring to the civil unions bill.

McNulty accused Senate Democrats of purposely taking months to move the bill to the House to force a decision within the final days of the legislative session.

"I think that there are those in the Democratic Party that want to make sure that this issue is a political issue in November," he said, referring to the upcoming election.

Beezley and Nikkel are not running for re-election.

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Comments

[Roondog]

03:15 PM on 05/07/2012

I can only assume that if there was statistical evidence that Gay civil unions were highly unstable and led to a high divorce or annulment rate the opponents of Gay marriage would be screaming that fact from the dome of every state capital in the country. I would also imagine that if domestic violence and child abuse was a widespread rampant epidemic in Gay couples with children it would make magazine covers and front page news. None of which has occurred. Now thats a bit strange. What then is the great harm that a Civil Union or Marriage between same gender people, with or without children causing to our society? What is it that the religious community is all worked up about. Surely they don't think they can impose their will on a population that enjoys our many freedoms? The real harm to the fabric of the American family is the incredible divorce rate of heterosexual marriages. Go to a Huffington article dated 10/24/11 and you will discover the census findings on divorces in America. Its is very curious that some of the states that are most vocally opposed to Gay unions have themselves the highest divorce rates in the country: Arkansas, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Kentucky. If they are going to be throwing stones, they'd better be worried about their own glass houses. To the religious community I say, Fix heterosexual marriage, show us what you are made of. Leave Gay Unions alone.

[l78lancer]

02:05 PM on 05/07/2012

No, it is not gay marriage. It doesn't purport to be. However, most people should be encouraged that common sense and reason seems to have broken out in Colorado. Or better yet, perhaps they have always had reason and common sense there and the rest of the nation with republican governors and republican dominated legislatures should pay attention. It really is possible for democrats and republicans to act like grown ups and get something done.

It's good to see that a few legislatures have the courage to focus on fair legislation and let individuals be responsible for their own morals and personal lives.

Good luck Colorado.

[Manda Ford]

03:10 AM on 05/07/2012

Those of you upset, I get it, it's not perfect or nearly enough.
But I have been in Colorado watching us get defeated and beaten on bills like this and bills for marriage over and over.
This is a good first step, and after all the failed attempts, a big first step.
I am more confident then ever, once this passes it will be a easy transition to full equality.
Good job Colorado!

[Manda Ford]

03:11 AM on 05/07/2012

And doubly big considering what we have sitting in Colorado Springs!

[wolfpeace]

07:57 PM on 05/06/2012

Civil Unions is better than nothing.

[lambdin1]

09:02 PM on 05/06/2012

True. I live in Colorado and doubt if this ever gets through this year or next. The local Republicans are already on record as blocking this through the last day of the session. Colorado has ground zero for hate, Colorado Springs. No one wants to rile the religious groups. One step at a time. It may be just the middle of the bus if and when it passes but it is a step forward for this state.

[racmd]

07:42 PM on 05/06/2012

I am dense...not stupid but dense. Will somebody please tell me why there is not a national uproar from the 20,000,000+ of us about this B.S.? Seriously, what in the heck are we afraid of...burning in hell...they think we are going there anyway...though they are the ones who have a one way ticket to their hell. I have no time for the childish B.S.. You going to be excommunicated? Heck..if they knew you were a, ooops..cannot go there...LGBT person....you would be labeled a worse sinner. Lose your job..? Ok..might buy that one...lose your family...well, if they don't like you for being LGBT..guess they are not worth much anyway...though I am not to judge..I do not use the F word...as I stay in touch with no person who is genetically related...get a lover...or a pet...if you are afraid at age 40 your family might figure it out...duh...
We are so good at planning parties...heck..we probably plan the parties for the people who hate us the most...so why is it so difficult to have a regluar come to the truth party.;...not a gay march...but a real march for equality??
We are 20,000,000+ storng and we are NOT going away and we will NOT be silenced by ignorance

[Ioan Lightoller]

08:31 AM on 05/07/2012

Last night I had someone tell me that I need government to put a stamp of approval on my "lifestyle" (I absolutely LOATHE that term) and that his sister, who is a lesbian, doesn't. Whatever. I don't really care if some LGBT people want to just "live together"--that is their decision and as long as they can live with it, no problem. But I was raised to value marriage and when I met my husband and after we got to know one another, he proposed and I accepted--JUST LIKE YOU WOMEN BIGOTS HAD YOUR HUSBANDS PROPOSE TO YOU. I still believe that those who don't want to be involved in working to get us full marriage rights in this country are their own worse enemies. The bigots don't admire them for not wanting to get married--they condemn them just as vociferously as those of us who are not willing to settle for anything but marriage.

When are some GLBT in this country gonna wake up and realise that if we don't hang together, they will assuredly hang us separately (thanks, Ben Franklin)? We can hash out the little fights later when we all have the same rights the rest of the US citizenry enjoy.

[racmd]

10:02 AM on 05/07/2012

I have friends with lovers who do NOT live together...and they will not go out in public with another gay couple...cause somebody MIGHT know.... Are you kidding me? Dude...95% of the time if you are over 40, not married, and have a best friend you hang with all the time, you are GAY....Please...do rationalization on that one..it is not a healthy defense anyway.
The religiousright and the GOP, TP (not the roll in my bathroom) can keep their hatred and bigotry. They have raised such American hate and there is NO LGBT community. We cannot even agree to disagree. You are right....they would hang us if they thought they could get away with it. They no longer wear white robes and hoods and burn crosses...but they tell people to "punch their kids" for being gay acting. Just what we need more hate in America.
We are 20,000,000+ storng and we are NOT going away..and we will not be silenced by ignorance.

[blue rylie]

07:11 PM on 05/06/2012

Ya know, the marriage equality fight cranks me off in a variety of ways, not the least of which is that it is disgraceful that in America any group is denied full equality. But the parental rights aspect is particularly disgusting because by denying equality to LGBT families, we deny their children equal legal protections. It punishes the kids, who have no say in who their parents are, and that is beyond reprehensible. We need marriage equality in this nation today, and I wish that my state would catch up with what is becoming a national wave of change! Unfortunately, VA isn't there yet...but we're working on it.

Go Colorado!

[Ioan Lightoller]

08:37 AM on 05/07/2012

Thank you. My husband and I don't have children but I know of people who do and it is a disgrace that they don't have the protections other American families have. I am firmly behind marriage equality precisely because of the protections that it provides to both LGBT couples and any children they may have.

I notice here in CO (I live in Pueblo) that the right wingers in some quarters are fighting this as hard as they fight marriage equality. That is one reason I fight for full marriage equality. They don't want us to have either, really, so I say go for the brass ring.

[blue rylie]

09:29 AM on 05/07/2012

I have to believe full equality is coming, otherwise I have to live in shame of the nation that teaches tolerance while showing none, teaches equality while not living it.

This is the reason I'm going to law school, because in my world it's all about the kids. I want to work in adoption as the main focus of my practice and it pains me that so many are restricted from adoption while the ones that truly suffer are the children. I hope to one day work with the military communities and the LGBT communities that have suffered due to ridiculous regulations regarding adopting children.

We'll get the brass ring, hopefully sooner than any of us expects.

[racmd]

07:03 PM on 05/06/2012

It is time the 20,000,000+ of us and our supporters put this to the test. It is time to stop, take a deep breath and then decide what we really want!! Do we want to be second class citizens or do we want "marriage equality". Do we tell the religious-right to stick their book. They don't live by it anyway..the only use it to be hateful...remeember inter-racial marraiges...there are like 30 places the book tells them that is a sin...oh...where are they now?
So many of us are still ashamed, afraid and, in effect, powerless. We are still looking for acceptance....people..that comes from inside...not given to you by another person or organization. You will never be good enough....oh...keep trying...and keep reading the posts...you might get the message. You are not alone...and you are NOT less than any other person alive. Their hate is who they are...do not make it your problem.
We are 20,000,00+ strong and we are NOT going away and we will NOT be silenced by ignorance.

[racmd]

06:01 PM on 05/06/2012

Oh yes, throw me a few more trinkets and pebbles and a couple pieces of dried bread and I will be happy...As they bought Manhattan for 60 guilders.
How easily we are bought and paid for...don't give me the BS about wait...and wait...and it is almost equal. This is rediculous... It is too bad we are NOT a community with leaders and organizers who can show these people the worth of LGBT people to America. As our sexuality does not show...not by skin color, the place of worship we go..the job we have..our history...we are the unidentifiable enemy. And we are amongst them...we are husbands, wives, sons, daughters, aunts, uncles, cousins, priests, ministers, imams, doctors, lawyers, law enforcement officers, fire persons, sales people, servers...and they have NO idea who we are and what we do..
Why do we continue to accept second best? We do not have to go to the back of the bus..but they put us on the curb.
Oh we will win when the SCOTUS decides marriage is a civil liberty and not a religious copyright.
We are 20,000,000+ strong and we are NOT going away and we will NOT be silenced by ignorance.

[Ioan Lightoller]

08:47 AM on 05/07/2012

I know I am sick of all the BS with marriage equality. I will not make them happy and say I am not legally married--because I AM legally married--the marriage certificate from the Province of Ontario hanging on the wall proves it.

What many LGBT, I believe, are falling for the line that it is just the word "marriage" they are fighting to keep to themselves. Nope. That is a bald-faced lie. They want us to have as few rights as they can get away with. If the more rabid bigots had their way, they would be jailing every LGBT they can lay their hands on. I read sites besides HuffPost and I see that some of them even would like the LGBT to be executed. There is a strong groundswell of hate for us amongst the fundies. The more "moderate" simply resent that we won't know our "place" and cower in a closet so that their delicate sensibilities are not offended. Well, they have offended me much of my life with their hatred, bigotry and attempts to force me to accept their religion.

I say we should go for it--accept nothing less than full marriage equality--do most of us have so little self-esteem that we are happy with the crumbs thrown our way? There is no excuse not to have full marriage equality except a bunch of bigots who don't really want us to even have those.

[racmd]

09:28 AM on 05/07/2012

Well said!!!
We are 20,000,000+ strong in the U.S. and we will NOT go away..and we will NOT be silenced by ignorance.

[xUSAT]

03:40 PM on 05/06/2012

If it's made it this far, it's because the Reps have figured out how to make a buck out of the issue. Follow the money.

[Ioan Lightoller]

08:40 AM on 05/07/2012

Yep. If that lot look as if they have suddenly softened on this, you can be sure that if you dig deeply enough there is something monetary at the bottom of it. And its just a few Republicans/wingers. The others are too busy fighting the crumbs as much as they do the whole cake.

[Atwill]

07:14 AM on 05/06/2012

Civil union is not the same as marraige. My kid has this and he and his partner are denied over 1,000 rights because of it. civil union allows gays to sit in the middle of the bus.

[David Moore]

08:47 AM on 05/06/2012

You see this as a middle of the bus move, and I could not agree more. However, it is a step in the right direction. It certainly is not the last step forward. Could the Colorado legislature have passed a marriage equality bill this year? Doubtful. Could it be possible that the state will soon recognize that LGBT couples even exist? Yes, that could happen this week. Press on, I say, keep up the fight until we win marriage equality.

[racmd]

06:59 PM on 05/06/2012

Please excuse my tenacity...This BS does not put us in the middle of the bus..it kicks us to the curb....Again we bow to the GOP, TP (oh I like that..I have a roll in my bathroom), and the religious right who have only read part of the book they preach.
We are 20,000,000+ strong and we are NOT going away..and we will NOT be silenced by ignorance.

[Atwill]

07:29 PM on 05/06/2012

i agree.

[AprilMoon92]

04:24 AM on 05/06/2012

Come on, you can do the right thing and pass it! Personally I'd love this to be gay marriage legislation instead, but hey this is still a step in the right direction!

[Ioan Lightoller]

12:08 AM on 05/06/2012

I'd be more impressed if it was full equality. Why are we supposed to be thrilled when crumbs are thrown our way? My in-laws, who are totatlly clueless because THEY already HAVE all their rights as a straight married couple, think I should be jumping up and down. Well, not giving up my Canadian marriage for some "separate but equal" second-class civil union.

[movingman64]

10:24 PM on 05/05/2012

When it comes to the rights of gays republicans will NEVER do the right thing!

[David Moore]

08:50 AM on 05/06/2012

Hmmm, before using the broad brush strokes on the canvas to smear over all Republicans, remember that in New Hampshire, the Republicans stopped a bill that would have repealed marriage equality. In New York, it took 4 Republicans to pass marriage equality in the state Senate. In Iowa, several of the Supreme Court justices that approved marriage equality were Republicans. In California, conservative Republican Ted Olsen is fighting the battle against Prop 8. I am by no means a Republican at all. However, we must remain fair and above the fray in our fight for equal rights.

[movingman64]

10:04 AM on 05/06/2012

And it was republicans a few years ago that tried to pass a constitutional admendment to ban gay marriage forever!!! All republicans in the south where I live are rabidly anti-gay!

[cenourinha]

08:45 PM on 05/05/2012

""I think that there are those in the Democratic Party that want to make sure that this issue is a political issue in November," [McNulty] said"

I've got news for you: it's already going to be an issue in November. Increasingly people see that this is an issue of fairness and are in support of marriage equality 9even though CUs are still a far cry from that). It's only pathetic dinosaurs like you who are desperately trying to cling to the past.

[DemiCrat]

05:46 PM on 05/06/2012

Its kind of ironic how they have been politicizing and campaigning on this issue for years, but now that they realize they are on the loosing end of this debate, they are suddenly declaring it off limits.

[cenourinha]

10:32 PM on 05/06/2012

well, it's not a surprising tactic for them. Sort of like when a lot of them said that gay people should settle for civil unions because "what's in a name, after all?" Then when bills to pass CUs started cropping up, they protested against them on the grounds that they were too much like marriage.

oh yeah, and they are also the party that will lie cheat and steal to get their way if they can't win a fair competition.

[racmd]

07:10 PM on 05/05/2012

For all the LGBT people who have worked hard to get this passed please forgive me for what I am about to say.
It is so WHITE of Colorado to give the gay and lesbian couples second class rating. This is absurd and truly an insult to every committed relationship in this country. I wonder if the states would have considered "half civil liberties for Blacks"? This is vile and smells of GOP like the south end of a north bound garbage barge.
I am not a second class citizen. Your hate and your prayers will NOT make me go away. If you are waiting for your god to destroy me..forget it...we have an agreement...we don't mess wtih each other. Keep your religiom and your dogma out of my life and my bedroom and I will keep my marriage our of your religious buildings. I want nothing to do with you..so how about you leave me alone for a change. For you will soon wake a monster...and when you do...there will be repercussions that will last for generations. You hide behind your religiom like vampires in their coffins. you are afraid of the truth and you have no ability to think beyond your ignorance.
We are 20,000,000+ strong and we are NOT going away and we will NOT be silenced by ignorance.

[Ioan Lightoller]

02:05 AM on 05/06/2012

Agreed. I'm supposed to get all excited because we may get a few paltry rights? Some are clearly content with second-class citizenship. I am not. I deserve better than second-class citizenship. We all do.

Sadly I don't think Christianists, will ever leave us alone. They believe God has given them the right to hassle us, revoke/limit our rights and fight against anything that might make our lives easier. They think things like our partners/spouses being forced to pay punitive inheritance taxes and not being able to receive SS benefits as a just punishment for being who we are and refusing to live their lie.

[David Moore]

08:52 AM on 05/06/2012

Can I fan and fave you a second or third time? Could not agree more about religion being used a bullying tool to keep the LGBT community in its place.