When Montrose Republican Don Coram cast a deciding vote Monday night to kill Colorado’s civil unions bill, he “let down” a gay community that includes his only child, his son told The Denver Post.
Legislation to create civil unions died even faster during the special session that began Monday than it did during the regular session that ended last week. The House State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee shot down the bill on a 5-4 party-line vote, stopping it from getting to the House floor, where it likely would have passed, with a handful of Republicans joining Democrats. (Photo above by Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post)
Lawmakers kicked off a special legislative session today with a rally in favor of civil unions but also with low expectations that the outcome would be any different than last week.
“Given the games and the lengths the speaker went to on Tuesday night to kill civil unions, I don’t have high hopes for today,” said House Minority Leader Mark Ferrandino, D-Denver. “I expect the same kinds of games.”
They’ll be back at the Capitol this morning, but it’s unclear if Colorado lawmakers will do anything different on the issue of civil unions during the special legislative session that begins today.
How do you think the issue of civil unions will play out at the Capitol?
Colorado lawmakers will return to the Capitol Monday for a special session to deal with civil unions and other issues that will be announced this afternoon, the governor’s office said today.
Gov. John Hickenlooper announced Wednesday that he would call a special session after the dramatic death of a civil unions bill without any debate in the Republican-controlled House. After hours of delay, at least 30 hours bills were killed in the crossfire.
Gov. John Hickenlooper said Wednesday that he would call a special session to make sure there was ample time to debate a civil unions bill. At times emotional, Hickenlooper said not allowing same-sex couples to form civil unions was “depriving people of their civil rights.”
What do you think?
Gov. John Hickenlooper plans to call a special session to deal with civil-unions and other bills killed in the aftermath of a night-long power struggle between Republicans and Democrats on the House floor late Tuesday.
A bill to allow same-sex couples to form civil unions died on the calendar late Tuesday, taking down with it more than 30 other measures in a dramatic game of political chicken in which no one would blink.
The chairman of the third and final committee scheduled to hear a civil-unions bill said today it will be heard this afternoon.
Rep. Jon Becker, R-Fort Morgan, said he didn’t know how many other bills will be heard during the Appropriations Committee hearing.
The Senate gave initial approval to the measure Wednesday. The official vote could come as early as today, where its fate is clear: All 20 Democrats and the three women in the 15-member GOP caucus are expected to support it.
Democratic Sen. Pat Steadman, who represents Denver, said the bill gives gay couples many of the rights and responsibilities of straight couples but does not allow marriage.
“I think this is a bill that honors commitment and love and responsibility,” he said. “It empowers people to provide economic and financial and emotional security for themselves and their loved ones.”
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