Credit: Craig F. Walker, The Denver Post
The Colorado Senate’s Judiciary Committee advanced a bill to authorize civil unions Wednesday, on a 3-2 vote. The bill now moves to the Senate Appropriations Committee. All three committee Democrats voted in favor, the two Republicans voted no.
A similar bill passed the Democratic-controlled Colorado Senate last year, but died after then-House Speaker Frank McNulty (R) resorted to a series of maneuvers to prevent the from coming up for a vote, subverting the majority in the state and in the House.
The voters responded by electing a Democratic House majority in November and now Colorado’s Speaker of the House is openly gay Rep. Mark Ferrandino (D) — the bill’s chief House sponsor. McNulty is no longer even in the House minority leadership.
Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) tweeted during the committee hearing: “Civil unions is about justice and economic prosperity. We’ve said before, saying again: Pass this bill!”
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