Colorado

A new report from Public Policy Polling confirms other recent poll results. A vast majority of Coloradans [71%] support relationship recognition for same-sex couples in the state. About 13% of Republicans in the state support granting full marriage rights to same-sex couples. Colorado Republicans are more likely to favor civl unions [44%]. Combined, it's 57% of Colorado Republicans supporting some form of legal GLBT relationship recognition.

Colorado's Gov. Hickenlooper [pic] signed an anti-bullying bill that includes personal characteristics such as sexual orientation and gender identity. Colorado is the twelfth state to pass similar anti-bullying laws.

The 11 other states that have such laws are Arkansas, California, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont and Washington.

Broad support for such policies in states like Colorado has fueled optimism that the federal Safe Schools Improvement Act, introduced in both the Senate and House, also will become law.

A bill flowing through the Colorado legislature could provide civil unions for same-sex couples. The Colorado Civil Unions Act would give gay couples power to make medical decisions for their partners and become eligible for insurance and retirement benefits. The CCUA passed the Democrat-controlled Senate this week, but it faces a fight in the House of Reps, where Republicans hold the majority.

The Archdiocese of Boston released a new set of guidelines after an 8-year-old boy was refused admission to a Catholic elementary school because his parents are a lesbian couple. A new Catholic schools admissions policy says parochial schools will not “discriminate against or exclude any categories of students.’’ The message was distributed to pastors, parishes, and school administrators by e-mail. Michael B.

A second parent adoption is a legal procedure that allows a same-sex parent to adopt a partner’s biological or adoptive child without terminating the legal rights of the first parent. States must honor second-parent adoptions from other states.

Second-parent adoption is authorized in California by statute - and where appellate courts have ruled that the state adoption law permits second-parent adoption.

A statute is a law passed by a legislature. An appellate court is about appeals. It has the power to review the judgment of another lower court or tribunal.

The Denver Post makes note of a marketing campaign designed to educate Colorado's GLBT population regarding new civil rights protections in the state.

The Denver Post reports that a bill narrowly passed its first test that would make domestic partners of Colorado state employees eligible for coverage under state group-benefit plans.

The bill, Senate Bill 88 from Sen. Jennifer Veiga, D-Denver, passed out of a Senate legislative committee by a 4-3 party-line vote after spirited debate.

"It is the right policy," Veiga told committee members. "It is the right time."