Civil unions will soon be a reality for gay couples in Colorado. The Colorado Legislature passed a bill Tuesday morning allowing civil unions and it's now off to the Governor for his signature.
It was a packed house in the gallery as people watched lawmakers cast their final votes. This was the last time the legislature will debate civil unions and lawmakers in both parties took note of the moment 鈥� like Pete Lee (D-Colorado Springs).
"For some in this chamber, this is the reason we鈥檙e in here, in this time and this place,鈥� said Lee.
This is the third year Democrats have brought up civil union legislation. Last year they had the votes, but .
鈥淚 want people to know the Republican Party is bigger than the debate we鈥檝e had here,鈥� Representative Cheri Gerou (R-Evergreen). She was one of two GOP lawmakers voting in favor of the bill.
Speaker of the House Mark Ferrandino (D-Denver) is the state鈥檚 first gay speaker and the bill鈥檚 sponsor. He says it鈥檚 time to pass civil unions to offer benefits such as spousal support, hospital visitation rights, and inheritance rights.
鈥淚t鈥檚 about love, it鈥檚 about family, it鈥檚 about equality. We have our love recognized just like anyone else鈥檚 love and that are families are the same as everyone else鈥檚 families,鈥� said Ferrandino.
RT Civil unions passes on a vote of 39-26 and is now headed to the Governor.
— Mark Ferrandino (@MarkFerrandino)
Proponents of the bill also took time to note just how far the state has come. Twenty years ago Colorado earned a bad reputation in the gay community as the hate state, after voters passed a ballot initiative that excluded LGBT people from anti- discrimination laws. The U.S. Supreme Court later over turned the initiative calling it unconstitutional.
That issue was far from most people鈥檚 minds Tuesday as lawmakers hugged and cried, saying it鈥檚 amazing what a difference a year can make.
