Schultheis Stirs Controversy With Comments About AIDS Testing of In Utero Infants

A Republican senator's claim that pregnant women should not be provided HIV testing because those who suffer from AIDS must be punished for "sexual promiscuity" set off controversy at the capitol today.

The remarks by Sen. Dave Schultheis, R-Colorado Springs, marks the second time this week that a GOP legislator has shocked colleagues at the podium.

Sen. Scott Renfroe, R-Greeley, compared homosexuality to murder during a debate Monday on another measure that would require the state to allow its employees to designate same-sex domestic partners as beneficiaries under their health insurance policies.

"This stems from sexual promiscuity for the most part, and I just can't go there," Schultheis said on the Senate floor this morning. "We do things continually to remove the consequences of poor behavior, unacceptable behavior, quite frankly. I'm not convinced that part of the role of government should be to protect individuals from the negative consequences of their actions."

Schultheis' comments came during the Senate's discussion of SB 179, which would, among other things, require health care facilities to test all pregant women who do not opt out for the human immunodeficiency virus.

During an interview with the Rocky Mountain News later in the day Schultheis attempted to clarify his comments. He explained that families would learn to avoid "promiscuity" if an HIV-infected baby is born to a woman who has AIDS.

"What I'm hoping is that, yes, that person may have AIDS, have it seriously as a baby and when they grow up, but the mother will begin to feel guilt as a result of that," the veteran Colorado Springs legislator told the Rocky. "The family will see the negative consequences of that promiscuity and it may make a number of people over the coming years begin to realize that there are negative consequences and maybe they should adjust their behavior."

Sponsoring Sen. Lois Tochtrop, D-Thornton, pointed out during floor debate on the measure this morning that sexual intercourse is not the only way a woman can contract HIV.

Tochtrop also said that treatment of an infected mother can dramatically reduce the likelihood that HIV Is transferred to the developing fetus.

Tochtrop and House sponsor Rep. Sara Gagliardi, D-Arvada, are nurses.

Renfroe's comments came during a debate on a bill to require the state to permit its employees to designate domestic partners as beneficiaries under health insurance policies.

"Leviticus 18:22 says, 'You shall not lie with a man as one lies with a female. It is an abomination,'" Renfroe said during debate on SB 88. "Leviticus 20:13 says, 'If there is a man who lies with a male as though to lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act, and they shall surely be put to death.' We are taking sins and making them to be legally OK, and that is wrong. That is an abomination, according to scripture."

"And I'm not saying that this is the only sin that's out there," Renfroe said. "Obviously we have sin, we have murder, we have all sorts of sin. We have adultery, and we would never think to make murder legal."

GOP Sets Senate Committee Assignments

The Senate GOP caucus has finalized some committee appointments for the upcoming 2009 session, choosing a veteran legislator from El Paso county to be the ranking minority member on the key State, Veterans and Military Affairs panel.

Bill Cadman, who was appointed to the Senate last year, will assume the ranking member post on the committee that deals with military matters, minority leader Josh Penry said.

"Sen. Cadman’s military service along with his natural leadership skills make him the perfect choice to lead the Republican efforts to fight for Colorado’s military community," Penry said.

Other appointments announced by the Senate's minority caucus are:

* Former House majority leader and freshman Sen. Keith King of Colorado Springs as ranking minority member on the Finance Committee;

* Veteran conservative Sen. Dave Schultheis of Colorado Springs as ranking minority member on the Health & Human Services Committee.

Senate Clears Romanoff's B.E.S.T. Bill

A bill that would allocate nearly $1 billion toward the repair of decaying and dangerous public school facilities around the state got the final approval of the Senate Thursday.

HB 1335 would tap the state's school trust lands to raise about $500 million. Romanoff proposes that about $30-$40 million of revenues from natural resource exploitation conducted on those lands be used to make payments on necessary capital obtained via debt instruments.

The other portion of the total amount to be dedicated to school renovation and repairs would come from local contributions.

Colorado's school trust lands were granted to the state upon admission to the union and on condition that they be used to benefit school children. However, the state has never before had a structured mechanism for tapping into revenues generated on those lands for the benefit of public schools.

Public school buildings across the state are aging. According to a news release issued by the House majority communications office, hazards include failing roofs, structural problems, inadequate fire safety, faulty and dangerous boilers, absestos and carbon monoxide contamination.

The bill must return to the House for consideration of Senate amendments before heading to Gov. Bill Ritter's desk.

Democrats Peter Groff of Denver and Gail Schwartz of Snowmass Village sponsored HB 1335 in the Senate.

Five Republicans opposed the measure in today's vote, including Sens. Bill Cadman and Dave Schultheis of Colorado Springs, Ted Harvey of Highlands Ranch, Steve Johnson of Fort Collins, and Tom Wiens of Castle Rock.

House Passes Resolution Calling for all CO Children to Have Health Insurance Coverage by 2010

The House passed Wednesday a resolution establishing a goal of assuring access to health insurance coverage for all children in the state by 2010.

SJR 8, which had previously passed the Senate in slightly different form, is not law. It is simply an expression of the legislature's desire and of a goal.

Debate on the resolution was nevertheless lengthy and, at times, contentious.

Reps. Rosemary Marshall, D-Denver, and Kathleen Curry, D-Gunnison, eventually proposed an amendment changing the language of the resolution from words requiring the legislature to "pledge" universal coverage of children to the less demanding commitment only to try to do so.

That amendment passed with 51 "yes" votes, though it provoked opposition from a number of Democrats including speaker Andrew Romanoff, D-Denver, majority leader Alice Madden, D-Boulder, and Health & Human Services Committee chair Anne McGihon, D-Denver.

Rep. Douglas Bruce of Colorado Springs was the only GOP member of the House to oppose the amendment.

The amendment soothed the controversy, as 61 members of the House voted "yes" on adoption of the resolution after it was approved.

The naysayers were Republican Reps. Douglas Bruce and Kent Lambert of Colorado Springs and Kevin Lundberg of Berthoud.

The Senate had previously amended the resolution to make clear that the goal of universal coverage of children should not create disincentives for people to obtain private health insurance.

After that amendment was adopted unanimously in the Senate the resolution passed in that chamber on a 27-7 vote.

The Senate "no" votes on the resolution were cast by Republican Sens. Greg Brophy of Wray, Bill Cadman of Colorado Springs, Ted Harvey of Highlands Ranch, Mike Kopp of Littleton, Joshua Penry of Grand Junction, Scott Renfroe of Greeley and David Schultheis of Colorado Springs.