Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Colorado May Give Equal Rights to Partners


(Link) One pol calls the political move "a dark day for Colorado," to which another pol says "Actually, it's a pretty bright day!" We'll let you guess which political parties they belong to.
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1 comment:

LNewsEditor said...

JIC Post:
By Lynn Bartels
Rocky Mountain News


Colorado is one step closer to voting on whether to allow same-sex partners many of the rights and responsibilities of married couples.

The House on Monday voted 38-27 to send HB 1344 to the Senate for consideration.

Republicans, who lost control of the legislature in the 2004 election, looked at each other in frustration during the debate, knowing that the measure was going to pass the Democratic-controlled House.

"It's indeed a dark day for Colorado," said Rep. Kevin Lundeberg, R-Berthoud.

"I actually think it's a pretty bright day for Colorado," countered Majority Leader Alice Madden, D-Boulder.

The measure passed on mostly party line votes.

Democrat Bernie Buescher of Grand Junction voted against the bill, while Republicans Al White of Winter Park, Mark Larson of Cortez, Rob Witwer of Genessee and Bob McCluskey of Fort Collins voted for it.

House Bill 1344 by Rep. Tom Plant, D-Nederland, would allow voters in November to decide whether to allow registered same-sex partners to receive the rights Colorado grants to spouses, including adoption of a child of a domestic partner and inheritance rights.

Rep. Angie Paccione, D-Fort Collins, blasted the theory that the measure would destroy the sanctity of marriage.

"My mother is black. My father is white. And there was a time in this country when they couldn't get married," she said.

"There were arguments . . . it's going to ruin the sanctity of marriage if we allow blacks and whites to marry."

But Rep. Lynn Hefley, R-Colorado Springs, argued her gay friends didn't believe the bill was necessary and she said it was being pushed by a small group of people.

"This is not Colorado," she said. "Vote no."

3/28/2006 1:24 AM

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