LEGISLATIVE UPDATE - CIVIL UNIONS
This past week the Colorado Senate passed SB 11-172, the Civil Union Act, with a bipartisan vote of 23-12. The legislation now heads to the House Judiciary Committee and will be heard on Thursday on March 31st at 1:30PM.
What is the Civil Union Act?
• Allow any two unmarried individuals to enter into a civil union.
• Protect the right of free exercise of religion by not requiring priests, ministers, rabbis, and other religious officials to certify a civil union.
• Provide to parties in a civil union the legal benefits, protections, and responsibilities that are granted to married spouses, including:
o Responsibility for financial support of a partner
o Responsibility for decisions relating to medical care and treatment
o Responsibility as priority conservator, guardian, or personal representative for a partner
o The ability to inherit real and personal property from a partner
o The ability to protect exempt property from attachment, execution, or garnishment
o The ability to designate a partner as a beneficiary to retirement
o The ability to adopt a child of a partner o The ability to insure a partner
o Hospital visitation o Eligibility for family leave benefits o Survivor benefits under workers compensation laws and local government pensions
• Provide for the dissolution, legal separation, and declaration of invalidity of a civil union.
• Allows the executive director of the department of revenue to appoint a commission to investigate what changes in the law should be made to allow partners to file a joint state tax return (without violating federal tax laws).
• Not create a marriage between partners as the public policy of the state recognizes only the union of one man and one woman as marriage.
How Can YOU Help Pass Civil Unions?
On Thursday the House Judiciary Committee will be hearing public testimony on the Civil Union Act, and will vote on if the legislation should move forward. If you can make it on Thursday at 1:30 please come to the Capitol wearing red to show your support. If you cannot make the hearing, please call or email your legislators to encourage them to support this important legislation. If you do not know who your legislator is you can find them by going to Project Vote Smart.
