Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, a
Democrat, on Thursday will sign a bill into law legalizing civil
unions.
Hickenlooper will sign Senate Bill 11,
which creates civil unions for gay and lesbian couples, at the
Colorado History Museum at 3PM.
The measure cleared the House last week
on its third attempt. Republican House leaders last year refused to
allow the bill to come up for a vote.
The drama of the previous two sessions
was in sharp contrast to the ease with which the bill sailed through
the General Assembly this year now that Democrats have regained
control.
The measure came under heavy criticism
from religiously-affiliated adoption agencies after its sponsors
dropped exemptions to religious institutions wishing to withhold
adoptions based on sexual orientation.
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese
of Denver expressed “disappointment” at the bill's passage,
saying that if signed into law, civil unions “may threaten the
policies which guide us in the vital work to find families for
Colorado's children in need.”
Republicans have also claimed that the
measure could face legal challenges.
Representative Lori Saine, a Republican
from Dacono, was quoted by The
Denver Post as saying that the bill will get a second debate
in a court of law.
“We won't get to debate this again
here, but we will debate this in a court of law,” Saine said, a
reference to the state's constitutional amendment defining marriage
as a heterosexual union.
Colorado joins Hawaii, New Jersey,
Illinois, Rhode Island and Delaware in legalizing civil unions.