Colo. Civil Unions Bill Dies in Committee Vote

A Colorado state house committee voted Thursday against moving a bill forward that would have granted civil union rights to gay and lesbian couples.

Though the bill, SB-172, had passed the state senate last week with three Republican votes and all 20 Democratic votes, six Republicans in the House committee voted last night against sending the bill on to another committee, with five Democrats voting in favor of doing so.

Of the Thursday evening hearing, which included testimony both for and against civil unions, bill cosponsor Rep. Mark Ferrandino told The Denver Post that while it was difficult to hear the antigay testimony, "What makes me saddest ... is there were people on that committee who were, I think, supportive in their hearts but weren't willing to stand up against the leadership and the far-right fringe of their party."

Democratic governor John Hickenlooper was expected to sign the legislation into law if it had passed in the house.