The Colorado Senate has passed SB-11, the Colorado Civil Union Act, on its third and final reading.
Republican Senator Ellen Roberts joined asll Senate Democrats to pass the bill. It now moves to the House.
LGBT rights group One Colorado released a statement:
“Committed gay and lesbian couples in the state have been waiting for years — 10, 20, even 40 years — to have their relationships protected. It's well past time that these families have equal protection under the law,” said Brad Clark, Executive Director of One Colorado, the lead organization advocating for passage of the bill. “We applaud the bipartisan passage of civil unions in the Senate and look forward to the debate in the House.”
If signed into law, SB-11 will provide committed gay and lesbian couples with critical legal protections and responsibilities, such as the ability to inherit property, to take family leave to care for a partner, to visit a partner in the hospital, and to make medical and end-of-life decisions for a partner.
“Civil unions will allow committed couples to share in the responsibilities and protections in Colorado law that most families take for granted. Our society is stronger when we promote personal responsibility and taking care of one another, and civil unions do just that,” said Senator Pat Steadman, sponsor of the bill.
SB-11 will move to the House, where Speaker of the House Mark Ferrandino is the sponsor.
“There are families throughout Colorado, including my own, who are living the same as any family but lack the legal safeguards and recognition afforded to everyone else,” Speaker Mark Ferrandino said. “These committed couples want civil unions to uphold the values we all hold dear: commitment to others, stability, responsibility, and, most importantly, family.”
