COLORADO: Civil Unions Bill Advances

Colorado's civil unions bill took another step closer to becoming law today. Via Zack Ford at Think Progress:

Just now, the Colorado Senate voted 21-14 to approve Senate Bill 11, which would create civil unions for same-sex couples. This was the second of two readings, with a final vote expected on Monday. During the debate, several Republicans attempted to add various amendments that would create special religious protections for adoption agencies to discriminate against same-sex couples, but none of them passed.

One Colorado reacts via press release:

“Committed gay and lesbian couples in the state have been waiting for years — 10, 20, even 40 years — to have their relationships protected. It's well past time that these families have equal protection under the law,” said Brad Clark, Executive Director of One Colorado, the lead organization advocating for passage of the bill. “We applaud the bipartisan passage of civil unions in the Senate and look forward to the debate in the House.”  If signed into law, SB-11 will provide committed gay and lesbian couples with critical legal protections and responsibilities, such as the ability to inherit property, to take family leave to care for a partner, to visit a partner in the hospital, and to make medical and end-of-life decisions for a partner.

Easy passage is expected in the Colorado House, where the bill's sponsor is openly gay Speaker Mark Ferrandino. Zoom, zoom, zoom.