Civil union bill to be re-introduced Monday during special session

After a nuclear meltdown between party leaders in the state House of Representatives, the Colorado Civil Union Act died on the calendar May 8 during the regular session of the state General Assembly — only to be resuscitated less than 24 hours later by the governor. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, called for a special session to discuss this bill and six others — giving House Republicans the time they claim they need to debate the bill.

But as the legislature prepares to meet May 14, the bill appears Dead on Arrival.

Sponsored by Minority Leader Mark Ferrandino and Sen. Pat Steadman, the legislation would establish legal relationship recognition for same-sex couples here.

Both Ferrandino and Steadman are gay Denver Democrats.

The special session begins at 10 a.m. A rally for support of the bill will begin at 9 a.m. on the west steps of the Capitol.

The first hearing will likely be in the afternoon.

The bill was originally introduced on the first day of the legislature’s regular session, Jan. 11. About a month later, it cleared two Senate committees. Steadman then held the bill for two more months while he and Ferrandino courted House Republicans to sponsor the bill. They hoped a GOP sponsor would ensure passage to the full floor of the House where enough votes existed to pass the bill to the governor for his signature.

Republicans enjoy a one-vote advantage in that chamber, 33-32.

Ferrandino is set to re-introduce the bill in the House during the special session.

Speaker of the House Frank McNulty, R-Highlands Ranch, appeared to be sending the bill to a swift death. The GOP leader told reporters the special session was a “reset” and hinted that there would be committee re-assignments, and perhaps, the bill would be sent to different committees than the panels that examined them earlier this year.

This potential power play – while well within the rules of the House – goes against numerous statements McNulty has made since the civil union bill was first introduced in January 2011.

“All bills will get a fair hearing and as these issues come up, we’ll take them up one-by-one,” he said in November of last year. “I won’t speculate on the outcome of any bill, because that’s the job of the legislative process.”

The bill was headed to passage earlier this month. After being punted with bipartisan support from the Senate to the House, the legislation cleared two Republican controlled committees.

But, blood pressure began to rise as the bill’s third and final committee met the afternoon of May 8. The House needed to debate the bill before midnight or else it would die.

Colorado law requires a chamber to hold its debate and final vote on two separate days. The law also required the legislature to adjourn no later than May 9 leaving all unfinished business to come back another day.

After a three hour filibuster, GOP members approved three amendments to the bill, and on a 7-6 vote moved it to the House.

What happened next, most Colorado political experts and onlookers consider historic.

First, Majority Leader Amy Stephens attempted to move set an evening agenda that did not include the civil union bill. Ferrandino raised his hand in the air with his thumb pointing down instructing his caucus and Republican supporters of the bill to vote against the to-do list.

Republicans attempted without success to move forward sans the civil union act four other times. A deal was eventually reached. The Colorado Civil Union Act would be debated after all the bills on the regular calendar were taken care of.

Republican lawmakers began debates on bills featuring a prohibition of trans fats in public schools and license plates. Legislation of little interest before May 8 took up almost three hours of the waning night.

At about the same time Rep. Bob Gardner was sharing a story of his friend who decided he didn’t need a license plate to operate a motor vehicle, Rep. Cliare Levy made a motion to halt debate and re-order the calendar.

Before Levy could take finish her motion, Rep. Jerry Sonnneberg who was proceeding over the debate put the House in recess.

The chamber wouldn’t reconvene for another three hours. At the point leaders from both parties declared the bill the dead.

The following afternoon, Hickenlooper announced he’d call for a special session.

“This isn’t an issue about Democrats or Republicans,” Hickenlooper said, his voice cracking at times. “But about people — and their rights.”