Colorado governor endorses civil-unions bill

Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper urged state lawmakers to pass a proposed civil-unions bill that would extend certain rights to gay and lesbian couples. While falling short of full marriage equality, gay rights organizations are heralding the movement as an important step forward.

“It’s time to pass civil unions,” Hickenlooper, a Democrat, said during his State of the State address on Jan. 12. “As we strive to make Colorado healthier, we believe in equal rights for all regardless of race, creed, gender or sexual orientation. We don’t believe we should legislate what happens inside a church or place of worship, but government should treat all people equally.”

Democratic Senator Pat Steadman reintroduced the civil-unions bill on Jan. 11. The same bill passed the Democratically controlled Senate last year, but died in a Republican-controlled House committee. In 2006, a voter-approved Constitutional amendment defined marriage as a union between one man and one woman.

Hickenlooper cited Colorado’s accepting nature as a reason entrepreneurs and business owners would relocate to the state. He encouraged lawmakers to do everything possible to ensure Colorado is seen as a fair and open-minded state to accept all businesses.

“If there were ever a time when Colorado needed to spur greater support for entrepreneurship to create and attract new business, it is now,” Hickenlooper said.

The state faces an uphill battle this year with a $700 million budget shortfall during an election year, which tends to bring more partisan fighting than off years. However, the governor asked legislators to rise above the party and find common ground to work together.

“Cynics say it’s an election year and partisan fights will drown out any hope for success,” he said. “We believe the cynics are wrong.”

Democrats are looking for a Republican sponsor for the civil-unions bill in the House, but none has been announced yet.