Civil Unions Bill (SB-2) Advances in Colorado
Civil-unions bill will be heard in House committee this afternoon
The chairman of the third and final committee scheduled to hear a civil-unions bill said today it will be heard this afternoon.
Rep. Jon Becker, R-Fort Morgan, said he didn't know how many other bills will be heard during the Appropriations Committee hearing.
The civil-unions measure is expected to pass out of committee because Rep. Cheri Gerou, R-Evergreen, has already said she supports Senate Bill 2. Gerou is vice chair of Appropriations.
Democrats need only one Republican vote to get the bill out of Appropriations and to the floor, where GOP leadership will decide whether to call it up and hear the measure. The bill must be debated today because the official vote has to be taken on another day as the debate, and Wednesday is the last day of the session.
The bill already has passed two other committees, Judiciary and Finance, each time with the support of a lone Republican swing vote.
GOP leaders who oppose the measure had hoped it would die in Judiciary, which is what happened last year.
If the bill makes it to the floor, House leadership - Speaker Frank McNulty, R-Highlands Ranch, but particularly House Majority Leader Amy Stephens, R-Monument - will decide when and if it will be heard. Both oppose civil unions. Only one GOP vote is needed to pass the measure. At least five Republicans are expected to vote with Democrats. If approved, the bill goes to Gov. John Hickenlooper, who has said he will sign it.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed for my gay and lesbian friends!
The chairman of the third and final committee scheduled to hear a civil-unions bill said today it will be heard this afternoon.
Rep. Jon Becker, R-Fort Morgan, said he didn't know how many other bills will be heard during the Appropriations Committee hearing.
The civil-unions measure is expected to pass out of committee because Rep. Cheri Gerou, R-Evergreen, has already said she supports Senate Bill 2. Gerou is vice chair of Appropriations.
Democrats need only one Republican vote to get the bill out of Appropriations and to the floor, where GOP leadership will decide whether to call it up and hear the measure. The bill must be debated today because the official vote has to be taken on another day as the debate, and Wednesday is the last day of the session.
The bill already has passed two other committees, Judiciary and Finance, each time with the support of a lone Republican swing vote.
GOP leaders who oppose the measure had hoped it would die in Judiciary, which is what happened last year.
If the bill makes it to the floor, House leadership - Speaker Frank McNulty, R-Highlands Ranch, but particularly House Majority Leader Amy Stephens, R-Monument - will decide when and if it will be heard. Both oppose civil unions. Only one GOP vote is needed to pass the measure. At least five Republicans are expected to vote with Democrats. If approved, the bill goes to Gov. John Hickenlooper, who has said he will sign it.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed for my gay and lesbian friends!