Proposals target gay rights

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Proposals target gay rights

Democrats pursue legal protections; Focus on the Family seeks marriage ban

By Lynn Bartels, Rocky Mountain News, January 18, 2006

Entertainer Britney Spears' first marriage lasted all of 55 hours, but she and her husband enjoyed legal protections that gay couples who have been together for decades don't have.

That's not fair, say supporters of gay couples.

Colorado taxes the pension a gay person inherits from his or her partner, but not the pension a husband or wife inherits from one another.

That's not fair, say supporters of gay couples.

"There is a wide and unfair gap in the way the law treats thousands of Colorado couples," said Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald, D-Coal Creek Canyon.

"They're our neighbors. Our friends. They pay their taxes and serve their communities."

She and Rep. Tom Plant, D-Nederland, are co-sponsoring legislation that would give same-sex couples many of the rights of married couples.

At a news conference Tuesday, the two Democrats insisted that their proposal - which they are trying to get on the ballot in November - has nothing to do with letting gay couples marry.

"Colorado already defines marriage as between a man and a woman; this bill does nothing to change that law," Fitz-Gerald said.

But opponents, including Rep. Kevin Lundberg, R-Berthoud, disagree.

"This is nothing more than 'Marriage Lite,' " he said afterward.

The Colorado Springs-based Focus on the Family is expected to help to put a measure on the November ballot to ban gay marriage. A spokesman said the group opposed the Democrats' proposal.

A committee working on the gay- marriage ban measure is expected to hold a news conference today.

Democrats say they caught the conservative religious group by surprise with their proposal.

"This forces Focus on the Family to be honest," said Ted Trimpa, a partner with the politically connected Brownstein, Hyatt and Farber law firm and an adviser to Tim Gill, a wealthy gay activist.

"Does Focus on the Family believe it's right to be unfair to gay and lesbian couples?" Trimpa said.

The Democratic measure would only change state law, while the proposal supported by Focus on the Family would amend the state Constitution, which carries more authority.

Democrats don't want to add another amendment to the state Constitution - they feel there already are too many changes to the document.

The Democrats' proposal is a referred measure, so it will make it to the ballot if the Democratic-controlled legislature approves. Republican Gov. Bill Owens has no power to veto referred measures.

Fitz-Gerald said other states that have offered domestic partnership benefits have not had problems.

"In fact, domestic partnerships have been happening in Vermont for years, and I understand that the sun continues to rise over that state every morning," she said.

She called domestic partnership benefits "a great deal for Colorado, and our economy."

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