Same-sex marriage in Colorado

Same-sex marriage in Colorado became legal on October 7, 2014.

In 2006, the state constitution began restricting marriage to different-sex couples. This ban was struck down in state district court on July 9, 2014, and by the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado on July 23, 2014. Furthermore, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals had already made similar rulings with respect to such bans in Utah on June 25 and Oklahoma on July 18, which are binding precedents on courts in Colorado. The Tenth Circuit rulings were stayed pending appeal; the U.S. district court ruling stay was temporary and set to expire on August 25, 2014, but was later extended. On October 6, 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the Tenth Circuit cases, and the Tenth Circuit lifted its stay. On October 7, 2014, the Colorado Supreme Court and the Tenth Circuit cleared the way for same-sex marriages to begin in Colorado.

Designated beneficiary agreements
Since July 1, 2009 unmarried couples have been able to enter a designated beneficiary agreement - similar to reciprocal beneficiary relationships in Hawaii - which will grant them limited rights, including making funeral arrangements for each other, receiving death benefits, and inheriting property without a will. The law, House Bill 1260, will be valid for estate planning, property purchases, medical decisions and certain benefits such as life-insurance and retirement-plan disbursements and was signed by Governor Bill Ritter on April 9, 2009.

Economic impact
A UCLA study estimates the impact of establishing domestic partnership for same-sex couples on Colorado's state budget. The study concludes that allowing same-sex couples to enter into domestic partnerships under the "Colorado Domestic Partnership Benefits and Responsibilities Act" will result in a net gain of approximately $1.2 million each year for the state. This net increase will result from savings in expenditures on state means-tested public benefits programs and from an increase in sales tax revenue from registration celebrations.