(Denver, Colorado) Despite a heated debate in which one Colorado state senator linked homosexuality to murder, the Senate has approved a domestic partner bill.

The legislation would make it easier for unmarried couples in Colorado, including gays and lesbians, to make medical decision for incapacitated partners and leave property to their partners.

The measure would apply to same and opposite-sex unmarried couples.

A similar bill already has already passed the House.  The two bills must still be harmonized and have a final vote in both houses.

Republicans attacked the measure, calling it an attempt to circumvent the state constitution which bans same-sex marriage.

In 2006, voters passed a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.  The same year, they rejected another ballot issue that would have given same-sex couples many of the rights of marriage including property inheritance rights and the power to make medical and funeral arrangements.

During debate on the bill, Sen. Scott Renfroe (R) quoted from the Bible and called homosexuality an “offense to God.”

“When we create laws that go against biblically what we are supposed to stand for, we are allowing to go forward a sin,” Renfroe said on the Senate floor. 

“We are taking sins and making them to be legally OK. That is wrong. I’m not saying this is the only sin out there. We have murder. … We don’t make laws making murder legal.”

The remarks brought a swift response from Sen. Jennifer Veiga (D) Colorado’s first openly gay lawmaker and the Senate sponsor of the bill.

“I will stand here today and tell you that God also created me, and the last time I checked, I am who I am,” she said.

And to critics who claimed the bill violates the gay marriage ban, Veiga said: “This brings no two people, myself, my partner, no other gay and lesbian partner, closer to walking down that aisle. It provides no tax benefits. It provides no other benefits. This is not about marriage. This is about health care. This is an equality issue and a fairness issue.”