Hancock says Legislature needs to act now on civil unions

Denver mayoral candidate Michael Hancock Tuesday urged members of the Colorado State Senate to quickly pass the civil union legislation. Senate Bill 172 had been expected to be on the Senate floor earlier this week but has since been postponed. It may be heard today.

Candidates Doug Linkhart and James Mejia have also endorsed the civil unions bill.

Michael Hancock (Kersgaard)
“For many reasons, including the loss of my brother to AIDS, moving beyond a culture of tolerance to a culture of inclusivity, fairness and respect has always been important to me,” Hancock said, in a prepared statement. “Every Coloradan deserves the same chance to take care of their loved ones, feel safe in their neighborhoods and enjoy critical legal protections. The legislation under consideration will help the city and state provide this equality under law and ensure no one is left behind.

“Civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. once said, ‘Somewhere along the way, we must learn that there is nothing greater than to do something for others,’” Hancock said. “I truly believe extending civil union benefits to same-sex couples is a matter of equal rights and civil rights.

“As the next mayor of Denver, I will make it a priority to provide equitable services to our entire community. To achieve this, I will make diverse appointments, continue to be an ally to the GLBT community, publicly support issues and organizations that are important to the GLBT community and act as a facilitator to find common ground when there are differences,” Hancock said.

Scot Kersgaard has been managing editor of a political newspaper, editor and co-owner of a ski town newspaper, executive editor of eight high-tech magazines (where he worked with current Apple CEO Tim Cook), deputy press secretary to a U.S. Senator, and an outdoors columnist at the Rocky Mountain News. He has an English degree from the University of Washington. He was awarded a fellowship to study internet journalism at the University of Maryland's Knight Center for Specialized Journalism. He was student body president in college. He spends his free time hiking and skiing.

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