DENVER – The bipartisan pomp and circumstance that accompanied the start of Colorado’s legislative session quickly faded to partisan fights as Republicans flexed new muscle.
With the Legislature settling into its new business, Republicans found themselves at odds with key groups including gays, immigrants and women.
Drama unfolded in the Senate, with Republicans in control for the first time in a decade.
On Wednesday, Republicans in a Senate committee killed a measure that would have offered a simple cleanup to civil-union statute by clarifying that a person already in a civil union cannot also get married. The measure was offered because Colorado’s ban on same-sex marriage was overturned by a lower federal court.
Also, Republicans in a Senate committee ended a Pay Equity Commission charged with studying salary gaps between men and women.
Then on Friday, the GOP officially defunded large portions of a program that provides driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants. Republicans on the Joint Budget Committee rejected the authority needed to spend money that already is available for the program.
Republicans have painted their majority in the Senate as tantamount to a new Legislature. Democrats still control the House, so it will be difficult for controversial measures to make it to the governor’s desk.
After the votes from last week, several Republicans said they were not trying to discriminate against any group.
In the case of the civil-unions cleanup, GOP members said they wanted to wait until the U.S. Supreme Court offers guidance on same-sex marriage, which is expected this June.
Senate President Bill Cadman, R-Colorado Springs, said he is focused on the work ahead, not partisan disagreements. He pointed to bipartisan consensus on auditing the state’s online health-insurance exchange, and he is hopeful the two parties can come together on issuing budget refunds to taxpayers.
“We will continue to work with Democrats where there is agreement on key issues and look forward to enacting common-sense legislation for the people of Colorado,” he said.
In the days ahead, Democrats are sure to fight with Republicans over a string of anti-abortion measures that have been introduced, as well as bills seeking to repeal gun-control laws passed by Democrats in 2013 and a rural renewable-energy standard backed by Democrats that same year.