Republicans Block Civil Unions Bill in Colorado

Earlier yesterday, it seemed that Colorado was going to get the Civil Union Act approved in the state. But later in the day, the GOP halted that process.

The House Judiciary Committee voted to stop the forward progress of SB-172, the Colorado Civil Union Act, a bill that would have provided committed gay and lesbian couples with critical legal protections, 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.


“Today’s vote was out of touch with everyday Colorado voters. With 72% of Coloradans in support of civil unions, House Republicans are out of the mainstream,” said Brad Clark, Executive Director of One Colorado, a statewide LGBT advocacy organization. “Once again, they have turned their backs on Colorado families and kids.”


According to polls, support for civil unions is high. A February 2011 poll by Public Policy Polling found that 72% of Colorado voters support legal recognition of gay and lesbian couples.


Additionally, a Greenberg Quinlan Rosner poll conducted in 2010 found support for civil unions across political parties and religious affiliations, including 61% of Republicans, 84% of independents, 70% of Catholics, 67% of Protestants, and 55% of “born again Christians.”


“In the past two months, there have been more than 18,000 emails, calls, and postcards to legislators in support of this measure. A coalition of nearly one million Coloradans support this measure. And poll after poll reinforces that Colorado voters support this measure by a wide margin – Democrats and Republicans alike. Today, Republicans were out-of-touch with Colorado voters,” Clark continued. 

This is hopefully, a small set back at this time. With most of the people in support of the act, how can they deny this right?


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