This Time It's Real: The GOP Kills Civil Unions In Colorado

Mark Ferrandino, Democrat for Equality

They went to the edge and then they pulled back.

Then, they went back to the edge, and pulled back again.

Now, they've killed any chance of Civil Unions legislation in Colorado this year.

The effing GOP. So, so behind the times, So, so out of touch. So, so in the Dark Ages.

Vote 'em out. Vote 'em all out.

John Hickenlooper,
Democrat for Equality

A last-ditch effort by Democratic Governor, John Hickenlooper, to grant same-sex Colorado couples the same, or, at least similar, rights as those granted opposite sex couples, has failed at the hands of the republican party.

The death of Civil Unions legislation will now be used by the Democrats in the upcoming elections to try and run the GOP out of office for their avid stance against equality for gay couples, because that's what it is, anti-equality.

See, when the bill seemed doomed, the governor demanded that a vote be taken on it--and it was believed that it would pass--but the GOP-controlled statehouse--led by Republican Frank McNulty--sent the bill to the House State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee, which voted 5-4 along party lines to kill the measure.

And the GOP knew this would happen and that's why they did it.

Representative Mark Ferrandino, Democratic leader in the House and the openly gay lawmaker who co-sponsored the bill, is not done, yet: "If it fails this year, we're going to work hard to make sure the public understands what happened, the games that were played, and next we're going to push it again. And as I've said a number of times, it's not a matter of 'if,' it's a matter of 'when.' And the 'when' keeps getting sooner and sooner. This will happen."

And it will, and the GOP will be left, on the sidelines, with egg on their faces, for denying equality.

Denying equality. That's the GOP.

Frank McNulty,
Republican for Discrimination

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You Can Thank The GOP: Colorado Civil Union Bill Dies

“We have reached an impasse,” Republican House Speaker Frank McNulty said. “It is unfortunate that there will be items that will not receive consideration by the House tonight because of this impasse.”

Then chants of “shame on you” erupted from gay rights supporters sitting in the Colorado House.

McNulty

McNulty told reporters that lawmakers had reached an impasse and civil unions would die along with several other bills, including an overhaul of school discipline policies and setting a blood-level marijuana limit for drivers.

The bill had already cleared a key hurdle Tuesday when Republican Representative Cheri Gerou joined Democrats to advance the measure out of its final committee for consideration by the full chamber. 

Gerou

Gerou said, “This isn’t a partisan conversation. This is, in my mind, this is a basic human rights conversation.”

Apparently, though, not all the Republicans in Colorado fight for human rights.

So, how did this happen? I mean, enough Republicans supported the bill to see it through to passage, and yet it died before ever reaching the floor for a vote.

Filibuster. The GOP filibustered long and hard—because they do love the sound of their own voices—forcing the bill to be shunted aside without a vote.

Democrats sought to block that GOP filibuster when it became clear that Republicans were talking at length about other measures, delaying any action on civil unions. And how did the Repoublicans respond to that Democratic challenge? They abruptly stopped working.

They, in effect, took their ball and went home, rather than stay and discuss a bill that seemed destined to pass, easily, and was certain to be signed into law by Governor Hickenlooper.

Unfortunately, for now, Republicans control the House by a 33-32 margin, even though enough of their members supported the legislation to pass it.

That’s the GOP. And, hopefully, the people of Colorado will wise up and vote those human rights obstructionists out of office.

UPDATE:

It seems that Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper has announced that he will call lawmakers into a special legislative session in order to resolve that Civil Unions bill, along with several other bills.

Hickenlooper's announcement was sparked by what he called an "overwhelming need" to discuss the civil unions measure. It died late Tuesday on legislative maneuvering from the GOP. He will announce the details of the special session today.

Republican House Speaker Frank McNulty did not immediately respond or comment. The Democrats have accused him of refusing to call the bill for a vote, even though it had enough support to pass.

Hickenlooper's announcement came at about the same time that President Barack Obama announced he now supports same-sex marriage.

The tide is changing.

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Colorado Civil Union Bill Inches Closer To Vote

Colorado has always seemed right on the precipice of enacting pro-LGBT legislation, and then they pull back, out of fear, or out of loathing. And the same holds true today.

A bill to allow civil unions for gay couples in Colorado needs to survive two more votes in the GOP-led House before it gets to the governor’s desk, but it appears closer than in any other year to becoming law.

Teetering on said precipice.

If the legislation passes, Colorado would join more than a dozen states that allow gay marriage or civil unions. Hawaii and Delaware began allowing civil unions earlier this year.

Of course, Civil Unions, like Domestic Partnerships, are really just Marriage-lite. While they allow lesbian and gay couple some rights that are similar to marriage, they aren't full marriage equality. But, this is a big step for gun-shy Colorado.

So far Colorado Democrats have been able to advance the bill past two GOP-led House committees, with the Finance Committee approving the measure last Friday with a 7-6 vote; it passed the House Judiciary Committee last Thursday.

Republican Representative  Don Beezley, the only Republican to support the measure on the finance panel, said, “For me, it really came down to that basic issue of fairness and doing the right thing.”

The right thing.

The bill now goes before the Appropriations Committee where the Democrats, of course, fully support its passage; but they'll need at least one Republican to vote yes for it to go to the full House. And that lone Republican just might be Representative Cheri Gerou who has previously said she supports a Civil Unions bill.

And while Republicans have a 33-32 vote advantage in the House, given the committee votes, where Republicans joined Democrats, the bill could have enough support for passage.

Mark Ferrandino, a Democrat and gay lawmaker, who sponsored the bill, says, “I’m very excited. We're one step closer today than we were yesterday, and yesterday we were one step closer than we’ve ever been.”

The Colorado Senate has already approved the bill, and, if the house passes it, it could reach the desk of Governor John Hickenlooper by Wednesday; Hickenlooper says he fully supports the bill.

Right on the precipice.

Hopefully, this time, Colorado will take that leap toward equality.

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