Tag: Jennifer Veiga

Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter on Thursday signed into law House Bill 1260, a measure that allows gay and lesbian couples and other unmarried adults to establish sweeping legal rights for each other — including inheritance, the ability to make medical decisions and hospital visitation rights. Groups representing gays and lesbians, senior citizens and low-income residents cheered the governor's support for the Designated Beneficiary Agreement Act, which goes into effect July 1.

A bill designed to make it easier for gay and lesbian couples and other unmarried adults to establish sweeping legal rights for each other — including inheritance, the ability to make medical decisions and hospital visitation rights — moved a step closer to law Monday on a party-line vote in a state Senate committee over the objections of a Republican lawmaker who called the proposal "marriage light."

While the Colorado legislature debates state Rep. Mark Ferrandino and Sen. Jennifer Veiga's H.B. 1260 to allow adults to enter into "designated beneficiary agreements" that would provide a legal right for hospital visits among other rights for non-married persons. Do you agree with the Denver Democrats' efforts? Add your comments below the fold.

At roughly 10:30 p.m., in the waning minutes of the all-day Republican filibuster against Colorado budget reform bill SB 228, Minority Leader Josh Penry, R-Grand Junction, threw an elbow. The Democratic majority wouldn't budge or break. After 10 hours, partisans on either side of the floor had clearly read into the record all the campaign trail fodder that could be transcribed. They were tired and getting sloppy.

Democrats were outraged Wednesday morning when Republican state Sen. Dave Schultheis said he planned to vote against a bill to require HIV tests for pregnant women because the disease "stems from sexual promiscuity" and he didn't think the Legislature should "remove the negative consequences that take place from poor behavior and unacceptable behavior." The Colorado Springs lawmaker then proceeded to cast the lone vote against SB-179, which passed 32-1 and moves on to the House. UPDATE: Schultheis restates his opposition to the bill by claiming HIV babies are punishment for promiscuous moms.

Conservative blogger and columnist Ari Armstrong says state Sen. Scott Renfroe should resign and calls on the state GOP to "publicly condemn" the Greeley Republican for his remarks comparing homosexuality to murder during a debate over a bill to extend health benefits to same-sex partners of state employees. "It's the right thing to do," Armstrong writes in his FreeColorado.com blog, "and it's also the prudent political move, if the GOP wishes to be taken seriously as a political force in Colorado."

A prominent national gay rights organization on Tuesday blasted Colorado state Sen. Scott Renfroe for comparing homosexuality to murder when he spoke Monday against a bill that would extend health benefits to same-sex domestic partners of state employees.

After numerous delays, the Aurora City Council will debate, on Monday, whether to offer insurance benefits to same-sex partners of city employees. This comes just after the Colorado State Senate gave initial approval to a bill that would do the same for state employees. The Colorado Independent will be live-blogging the Aurora decision starting at 7:30 p.m.

Focus on the Family Action takes to the airwaves this week with a radio ad opposing SB 88 -- a bill that would add health benefits for same-sex domestic partners of state employees -- because it's just too darned expensive during a "global economic crisis," Right Wing Watch reports. "Coloradans can’t afford this social experiment," argues the political arm of the Colorado Springs-based conservative religious group.

The usual suspects are sending out alerts urging support or opposition to a state bill headed to its first hearing Wednesday afternoon that would allow state employees to add same-sex domestic partners to their benefits packages. The Senate Business, Labor and Technology Committee sits down at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday to hear arguments for and against Senate Bill 88, sponsored by state Sen. Jennifer Veiga and state Rep. Mark Ferrandino, the General Assembly's two openly gay members.