Today is D-Day for a civil unions bill that has turned the waning days of the legislative session into a dramatic roller-coaster ride for social conservatives determined to stop it and champions who believe history is on their side.
At least five House Republicans have said they would support the measure, but the question is whether they will get the chance.
Speaker Frank McNulty said the GOP leadership has no obligation to bring the bill up for debate, and he questioned why Senate Democrats sat on the bill for more than three months before sending it his way.
The session ends Wednesday. In order to survive, the bill must be heard today
by the House Appropriations Committee and then debated by the entire House.
That way, the bill could be voted on Wednesday.
“Democrats have put themselves in a win-win situation, so no wonder Republicans are grumpy,” said political consultant Katy Atkinson of Denver.
If the measure passes, Democrats can claim victory for one of their important causes, she said. If it dies, they can blame Republicans, which Atkinson said would be a “bum rap.”
McNulty and House Minority Leader Mark Ferrandino pointed fingers at each other Monday, insisting the other side bore the blame if the clock ran out on the measure.
Ferrandino said the House got the bill April 27 and has had plenty of time to get the bill through three committee hearings and on to the entire floor for debate but instead has waited as long as possible.
The measure is sponsored by Ferrandino and Sen. Pat Steadman, two Denver Democrats who are gay.
“I know this is a controversial issue for some people, that it puts them in a real bind,” Steadman said. “But we all get put into situations where we have to take a vote.”
Rep. B.J. Nikkel, R-Loveland, who cast the swing vote that sent the bill out of the Judiciary Committee last week — dismaying GOP leaders who thought the issue was dead for the second straight year — said the bill needs to go to the entire House for debate.
Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper, who pushed for the passage of civil unions in his State of the State speech, was asked about the possibility of a special session to deal with the issue during a news conference last week.
“Anything that’s worth calling a special session for is worth doing well in the regular session,” he said.
His spokesman, Eric Brown, said it was premature to talk about a special session.
“There is a good bill working its way through the legislative process, and we have every expectation it will receive a vote from the full House of Representatives,” he said. “It’s the right thing to do.”
Supporters point to three polls indicating that Coloradans support civil unions.
One Colorado, the state’s largest gay-rights group, commissioned a poll in January 2010 by Greenberg, Quinlan and Rosner. It revealed that 72 percent of Colorado voters support the “full legal recognition of gay and lesbian couples,” said director Brad Clark of One Colorado.
Public Policy Polling released two polls last year showing similar results, 75 percent in April and 76 percent in December.
Lobbying over the civil unions bill is so intense that McNulty said he can’t keep up and his voice mail is always full.
Among those trying to reach the speaker is Ken Mehlman, former chairman of the Republican National Committee and campaign manager for George W. Bush’s successful 2004 re-election bid. Mehlman has since revealed he is gay. He said he wants to urge the House to pass civil unions.
“I care about the health of the Republican Party, and blocking something the vast majority of voters support and that will undermine family values and undermine freedom seems to me to be both bad policy and bad politics,” Mehlman told The Denver Post.
Lynn Bartels: 303-954-5327 or lbartels@denverpost.com
What’s next?
The bill must be heard by Appropriations today or it is dead. Appropriations is expected to pass the bill if there is a hearing. The entire House also must hear the bill today because the official vote cannot be taken the same day as the debate, and Wednesday is the session’s last day. If the bill makes it to the floor, House leadership — Speaker Frank McNulty, R-Highlands Ranch, but particularly House Majority Leader Amy Stephens, R-Monument — will decide when and if it will be heard. Both oppose civil unions. Only one GOP vote is needed to pass the measure. At least five Republicans are expected to vote with Democrats. If approved, the bill goes to Gov. John Hickenlooper, who has said he will sign it.
Journey of Senate Bill 2
Jan 11: Introduced in the Senate
Feb. 15: Passed by Judiciary Committee
Feb. 16: Passed by Finance Committee
April 17: Passed by Appropriations Committee
April 26: Passed by the Senate 23-12
April 27: Received by the House
May 1: Assigned to Judiciary
Thursday: Passed by Judiciary
Friday: Assigned to Finance
Friday: Passed by Finance
Monday: Assigned to Appropriations
