colorado civil union bill one step closer to law

[fizzgig]

In a shocking about-face, a Republican controlled House Judiciary Committee approved a bill to establish civil unions in Colorado.


Rep. B.J. Nikkel, R-Loveland, listens to testimony May 3. Nikkel voted in favor of the Colorado Civil Union Act. Photo by Sean Mullins

The bill, sponsored by gay Denver Democrats Sen. Pat Steadman and Rep. Mark Ferrandino, passed 6-5 with support from Republican Rep. B.J. Nikkel of Loveland.

Nikkel, the House Whip, voted against the bill last year.

“It was simply the right thing to do,” Nikkel said after the vote.

more here

it was expected that the bill would die in this committee, just as it did last year, and i'm surprised by this. session ends on may 9 and it still has to pass through the republican controlled house. the republicans only hold a one-vote majority, and four republicans have said they'd vote for it, it could very well be law soon. gov. hickenlooper has already said he'd sign it.

the state has come a long way since amendment 2

[fuddyduddy]

1. Indeed. The Amendment 2 debacle should shortly be a distant memory.

I love it when we can finally find ways to piss off the fundies that created the mess in the first place and smack it in their face.

It is way past time. And one other error I see, fizzgig, is that it's Governor Hickenlooper, not Ritter that will be signing the bill - he's my governor - and he's a little bit strange. He supports fracking, while most of us Coloradans don't.

Hmmm.

[fizzgig]

2. fixed that

got caught in the way back machine for a second

[Rowdyboy]

3. Totally unexpected! Wow....another state where semi-equal rights might someday soon be grudgingly

granted-if enough Rethugs break rank and defy their party's instinctive hatred of all things once considered vaguely unconventional.

A bold step forward for a new century! And the sad thing is, I hope if it happens. Tiny steps forward are better than leaps backward.