As of 12:01 this morning, civil unions for same-sex couples are now legal in Colorado, having passed in the legislature in March. Denver and Boulder began issuing licenses immediately. The first couple to receive a civil union certificate — at 12:02 — were Fran and Anna Simon, who wore the wedding dresses they wore for their commitment ceremony seven years ago. They were joined by their five-year-old son, Jeremy and Denver Mayor Michael Hancock officiated:
The clerk’s office in Denver remained open until 3 A.M. while Boulder’s closed at 2 A.M., and hundreds of other couples were on hand to get their civil unions as well:
Eight other states currently offer some form of civil union or domestic partnership that is not called a marriage: Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Hawaii, Illinois, Delaware, and Rhode Island. Rhode Island will become the tenth state with marriage equality after a pro forma vote Thursday. Delaware could also pass marriage equality incredibly soon, with the penultimate vote expected to pass the Senate Executive Committee this afternoon.
Watch a news report about the couples who were waiting in line for civil union last night (HT: Towleroad):