Colorado gay rights law goes into effect

Legislation making it illegal to discriminate in the workplace on the basis of sexuality has been signed into law by Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter. It makes the Colorado the 20th state to enact lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights. Ritter's support for the measure ends a decade-long battle by Sen. Jennifer Veiga (D) to legislate an end to discrimination. Bills she proposed were passed by the legislature in 2005 and 2006 but vetoed by Republican Gov. Bill Owens. Colorado law already bars discrimination in hiring, firing or in demotions or promotions based on race, age or disability. Republicans attempted to weaken the new bid to pass the legislation by proposing a long list of categories to be covered. All of the amendments were defeated. Some of those proposed amendment sparked heated debate when the bill was before the House last month. Rep. Ray Rose (R) proposed an amendment that would bar discrimination based on weight, body shape, height, hair and eye color. Fellow Republican Marsha Looper stood up and mockingly said that she frequently is the subject of blonde jokes. Denver Democrat Terrance Carroll, who is African American lept to the floor accusing Republicans of trivializing discrimination against minorities. Two more Republicans came to Looper's defense. Rep. Bob Gardner said it was Carroll who was being trivial. He said studies have shown that tall people are more likely to get jobs, and Rep. Debbie Stafford claimed that obese people are less likely to get hired. "There's never been anyone lynched because of their height in this nation," Carroll shot back.