Gay Rights Gain in House
Gay rights gain in House
By Michelle Dally Johnston
Denver Post Capitol Bureau
March 27 - For the first time in the history of the state
Legislature, a bill that proposes to outlaw discrimination on the
basis of sexual orientation will be subject to a debate before
the full House.
HB 1245, sponsored by Rep. Gloria Leyba, D-Denver, passed out of
its second committee Friday morning on a bipartisan vote of 6-4.
"It's about time, and it's past time,'' a triumphant Leyba
said shortly after her bill cleared the Appropriations Committee.
Current law bans discrimination in employment, housing and public
accommodations on the
basis of race, gender, creed, color or membership in a group. But
there is no law against discriminating against a person because
he or she is heterosexual, homosexual, lesbian or bisexual.
HB 1245 would change that and add the words "sexual
orientation'' to the existing protective statute.
"This is an incredibly important step forward in recognizing
that basic civil rights are not given to everyone in this
state,'' said Sue Anderson, executive director of Equality
Colorado, a statewide gayrights organization.
Anderson said her organization "applaud(s) those legislators
who took a stand for equal rights by voting in favor of this
bill, and we hope to see more legislators standing with them as
this bill moves forward through the legislative process.''
Of the 10 members present and voting on the House Appropriations
Committee on Friday, two Republicans and four Democrats joined to
pass the bill over the objection of four other Republicans.
Voting for the bill were Reps. Gale Berry, R-Grand Junction;
Joyce Lawrence, RPueblo; Bob Bacon, D-Fort Collins; Todd Saliman,
D-Boulder, Abel Tapia, D-Pueblo; and Jennifer Veiga, D-Denver.
Voting against the bill were Republican Reps. Debbie Allen, Gary
McPherson and Nancy Spence, all of Aurora; and Rep. Brad Young of
Lamar.
Nine states and the District of Columbia currently ban
discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. In past years,
similar legislation has met with quick death either in committee
or on the Senate floor. House lawmakers never have had to debate
the issue as an entire body.
The group Colorado for Family Values has been disseminating a
letter to lawmakers since late February, calling for the death of
the bill because, they say, homosexuals "practice dangerous
and potentially deadly behavior.''
Because the issue never has been debated on the floor of the
House before, the bill's future is subject to speculation. House
Republicans, who outnumber Democrats 40-25, are expected to
oppose the bill.
If the bill manages to pass out of the House, it probably will
have an easier time in the Senate, where party margins are much
closer. In the upper chamber, there are 20 Republicans and 15
Democrats. In addition, a number of Senate Republicans have taken
a public stance supporting such anti-discrimination language.
Reps. Ken Chlouber of Leadville and Dottie Wham of Denver are two
of the most senior Republicans who have taken such a stance.
Republican Gov. Bill Owens has not commented on the bill.
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