A Colorado bill seeking to recognize
gay and lesbian couples with civil unions has cleared a second House
committee.
Following in the footsteps of the House
Judiciary Committee, which approved the bill last week, the 13-member
Finance Committee on Wednesday approved the measure with a 7-6 vote.
All 6 Republicans on the panel voted
against the proposal, which still needs the blessing of the
Appropriations Committee before heading to the full House.
“My district is widely opposed to
it,” Rep. Jim Wilson, a Republican from Salida, told the Denver
Post.
GOP Rep. Lori Saine of Dacono called
the bill “a down payment on marriage.”
“My district does not support this,”
she said. “Going to town hall meetings, one of the first questions
asked is, 'Do you support marriage as between one man and one
woman?'”
A third Republican, Rep. Spencer Swalm
of Centennial, said the bill “goes against hundreds if not
thousands of years of tradition and western civilization. It goes
against my religious convictions. I don't support it.”
Democratic Governor John Hickenlooper
has been a vocal support of civil unions.
The House Appropriations Committee is
expected to take up the measure on Friday.