Crowd cheers as civil unions signed into Colorado law

DENVER – Civil unions for gay couples got the governor’s signature in Colorado on Thursday, punctuating a dramatic turnaround in a state where voters banned same-sex marriage in 2006 and restricted protections for gays two decades ago.

Cheers erupted as Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper signed the bill during a ceremony at the History Colorado Center near the state Capitol. Hundreds looked on, with many chanting “Equal! Equal!”

“There is no excuse that people shouldn’t have all the same rights,” Hickenlooper told the crowd, which included dozens of gay couples and others watching from floors above.

The law takes effect May 1.

“It means I can change my name finally,” said 21-year-old Amber Fuentes of Lakewood, who plans to have a civil union with Yolanda Martinez, 34.

“It’s not marriage, but it still gives us a lot of the rights,” Martinez said.

Colorado will join eight states that have civil unions or similar laws. Nine states and the District of Columbia allow gay marriage.