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Health

Gay rights group slams Renfroe for comparing homosexuality to murder

A prominent national gay rights organization on Tuesday blasted Colorado state Sen. Scott Renfroe for comparing homosexuality to murder when he spoke Monday against a bill that would extend health benefits to same-sex domestic partners of state employees.

Text of Obama’s speech: ‘America will emerge stronger than before’

Here's the text of President Barack Obama's speech to Congress on Tuesday night, as prepared for delivery. Read the responses to the speech from Colorado's congressional delegation here. Follow the live Twitter discussion here.

Colorado officials respond to Obama’s not-quite State of the Union speech

Members of the Colorado delegation issued the following statements in response to President Barack Obama's speech before Congress Tuesday night. They'll be updated in the order they're received. So far, we have responses (in this order) from Rep. Jared Polis, Sen. Mark Udall, Reps. John Salazar, Ed Perlmutter, Mike Coffman, GOP state chairman Dick Wadhams, Rep. Betsy Markey, Sen. Michael Bennet and Rep. Doug Lamborn.

LIVEBLOG: Aurora adds benefits for same-sex employees

The Aurora City Council voted Monday night to offer insurance benefits to same-sex partners of city employees after agreeing to add coverage for opposite-sex domestic partners to the proposal. The benefits expansion -- at an estimated cost to the city of $100,000 annually -- passed on a 7-3 vote with opponents voicing concern about the cost to the city, which is facing multi-million dollar shortfalls this year and next.

Same-sex benefits poised for Aurora decision after initial state Senate OK

After numerous delays, the Aurora City Council will debate, on Monday, whether to offer insurance benefits to same-sex partners of city employees. This comes just after the Colorado State Senate gave initial approval to a bill that would do the same for state employees. The Colorado Independent will be live-blogging the Aurora decision starting at 7:30 p.m.

Focus on the Family: Colorado just can’t afford same-sex benefits bill

Focus on the Family Action takes to the airwaves this week with a radio ad opposing SB 88 -- a bill that would add health benefits for same-sex domestic partners of state employees -- because it's just too darned expensive during a "global economic crisis," Right Wing Watch reports. "Coloradans can’t afford this social experiment," argues the political arm of the Colorado Springs-based conservative religious group.

North Dakota House passes ‘egg as a person’ bill

A controversial political tactic to ban some reproductive health services moved a step closer Tuesday. A bill to confer constitutional rights on fertilized human eggs passed the North Dakota state House Tuesday and moves on to the Senate.

Obama set to lift stem cell research ban, biomedical sector rejoices

Rep. Diana DeGette's arduous eight year battle to repeal President George W. Bush's 2001 executive order to restrict federal funding on embryonic stem cell research may be resolved with a similar flick of the presidential pen, says a top aide to Barack Obama.

Marostica: Avert thine eyes from ‘obscene’ British anti-smoking flyer

Rep. Don Marostica knows it when he sees it. The Larimer County Republican raised a ruckus at the state Capitol Friday when he came across an anti-smoking message deemed "so offensive I can't put it up on the screen," Tim Hoover reports in Politics West. Marostica, who sponsored a plan to roll back the state smoking ban at casinos, warned House colleagues not to let young, impressionable aides see the "very inappropriate and offensive material" brought into legislative offices by an anti-smoking lobbyist. Marostica even asked Speaker Terrance Carroll whether an ethics violation had been committed, the Rocky Mountain News reports.

Get sick, lose your job?

Next time you eat out — consider how many sick days the people preparing your meal are allowed to take. A measure being introduced in the Colorado legislature would guarantee up to nine paid sick days a year for workers at companies with more than five employees. HB 1210 sponsor State Sen. Morgan Carroll of Aurora says many employers in Colorado don't provide workers with paid sick days, and those workers shouldn't have to choose between health and a paycheck, reports Public News Service.
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