Civil Unions Bill Introduced in Colorado

By Advocate.com Editors

Colorado lawmakers are discussing a civil union bill starting Monday that would grant same-sex couples throughout the state the same rights as married heterosexual couples.

Two gay Democrats from Denver, Sen. Pat Steadman (pictured) and Rep. Mark Ferrandino, are sponsoring a bill that would extend to same-sex couples several rights and responsibilities, including enhancing inheritance rights and the right to make medical decisions, according to the Associated Press.

Democrats expect the bill will have no trouble passing the senate, where Steadman introduced it on Valentine's Day. Every Democrat has signed on as a cosponsor of the bill, and they enjoy a 20-15 majority.

The bill might have a tougher time passing the House, where Republicans have a slight majority.

Since the beginning of the year, Hawaii and Illinois have enacted similar civil union bills. Gay and lesbian couples in Colorado would not be allowed to marry, so the civil union bill would not violate the state's constitutional amendment banning marriage equality.

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Colorado Pol Aims for Civil Unions

By Advocate.com Editors

A Colorado state senator plans to introduce a civil unions bill in the coming weeks, 9 News Denver reports.

"This is something that I think is overdue," said Sen. Pat Steadman of Denver, "something that will protect families and will make our laws a little bit more fair, and a little bit more inclusive, so that everyone has the same opportunity to have economic security and stability in their family relationship."

Colorado voters passed a constitutional amendment in 2006 limiting marriage to heterosexual couples. But in a December op-ed in The Denver Post, Steadman wrote, "It's important to give gay couples the same legal parameters for determining alimony, the division of property and wealth, and other legal frameworks afforded to straight couples."

Steadman's push for a civil unions bill came as gay activists criticized Colorado attorney general John Suthers, who recently signed a brief along with four other state attorneys general defending the federal Defense of Marriage Act, currently at the center of multiple legal challenges.

Read the article here.

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