Brody's Notes... Civil Unions Bill Introduced In Colorado Legislature

Senator Pat Steadman, (D-Denver)

By Mark Singer (Washington DC) MAR 7 |  Openly Gay Colorado State Senator Pat Steadman, (D-Denver) and state Representative Mark Mark Ferrandino, (D-Denver) who is also openly Gay, are co-sponsoring a measure that would give same-sex couples in Colorado the same legal rights that are currently enjoyed by heterosexual couples who are married including enhancing spousal inheritance rights and the right to make medical decisions as well as the ability to more easily adopt a partner’s child.

The measure, which is expected to pass easily in the State's Senate where the entire Democratic majority signed on as co-sponsors, and have a 20-15 majority was introduced Valentine's Day.

The bill is expected to have a rough time passing the House which the GOP controls.

GOP Opposition to the measure centers on whether or not it would violate the state's constitutional amendment banning marriage equality.

Senator Kevin Lundberg, (R-Berthoud), told Steadman, when he presented the civil unions measure to the Senate Judiciary Committee today, that he was dubious about the Democrat's efforts to convince other lawmakers that civil unions weren't identical to marriage “except that it is available to same sex couples and heterosexual couples as an alternative to marriage.

Colorado Capitol Building, Denver

“You have a very, very hard case that this is not truly in violation of the Colorado Constitution that recognizes marriage as the union of one man and one woman.”

Steadman argued that there were a number of differences including federal recognition and state recognition outside of Colorado, and noted that his bill would help bolster Colorado’s economy.
An independent study by The Williams Institute based in Los Angeles at the University of California LA, disclosed that a civil unions bill had the potential to increase Colorado's revenue by $4.8 million over three years. The increase would be generated through state license fees, sales tax revenues and savings in government benefits.