Colorado Civil Unions Bill Advances

Tonight the Colorado Senate Judiciary Committee, which was impressively chaired by openly gay freshman Sen. Jessie Ulibarri (left), approved its civil unions bill by a vote of 3-2. The bill now moves to the Senate Appropriations Committee.  As a member of the public, Ulibarri had twice before testified in support of earlier failed civil union bills.

Earlier today the Judiciary Committee heard opposing testimony from several religious groups, including Catholic Charities, who raised the same tired arguments we've heard in every other state, such as their threat to shut down entirely rather than be "forced" to serve same-sex couples.

Among the failed attempts to torpedo the bill was an amendment to grant broad "religious liberty" exemptions for business owners who want to refuse to serve gay couples.  That amended failed 3-2 following a really long discussion about evil gays sending cake decorators to jail. Seriously.

Also speaking against the bill were the usual "Adam and Steve" nutjobs and Rosina Kovar, the local anti-gay gadfly dubbed Angry Anus Granny during the 2011 consideration of a similar civil unions bill. You may recall that she then told lawmakers, "Unlike the vagina, nature put a tight sphincter at the entrance to the anus! It's there for a reason. Keep out!" Granny wasn't quite so colorful this time.