Democratic supporters of a parental leave bill knew they were going to take a hit Tuesday in the Republican-controlled state Senate committee where bills go to die, so they made sure to get in their own political licks earlier in the day.

In the afternoon State Affairs Committee hearing, the voting was over in a flash. Members Sens. Owen Hill, R-Colorado Springs, Ray Scott, R-Grand Junction, and Jerry Sonnenberg, R-Sterling, on a party line vote killed House Bill 1002, sponsored by Rep. Janet Buckner, D-Aurora, and Sen. Andy Kerr, D-Lakewood.

The bill would have required businesses of more than 50 employees to grant up to 18 hours unpaid leave time per year to parents so that they could attend the “academic activities” of their school-age children — activities such as special-project presentations, parent-teacher conferences and individual educational planning sessions.

The vote came after more than an hour of testimony that included no opposition witnesses. The senators who voted against the bill said little. The hearing wrapped up before rush hour.

But at a pre-hearing news conference that included a tongue-in-cheek “movie screening,” the bill sponsors and supporters took the opportunity to punch again at House Rep. Kevin Priola, R-Brighton. Priola, a member of the House Education Committee, voted against the bill in January after asking for time off to take his child to the doctor. Activist group ProgressNow in a phone campaign that targeted his constituents called him a “parental leave hypocrite.”

Women’s Lobby of Colorado President Peg Perl introduced a one-and-a-half minute video produced by women’s rights organization 9 to 5 Colorado. The video celebrated the bill and it mocked Priola.

In one shot, the lawmaker looks distractedly at his phone during committee testimony. In another, his committee chair is shown empty.

“Politicians shouldn’t be the only ones allowed to take time off work for their kids,” reads a caption.

Priola is running in a key swing district for the state Senate, which Republicans control by only one seat. Moderate Brighton Democrat Sen. Mary Hodge is term limited in her District 25 seat. Former House Rep. Jenise May, a Democrat who lost her seat by 106 votes to Republican JoAnn Windholz in 2014, is also running for Hodge’s seat.

So, the parental leave bill died, but it will surely enjoy a rich afterlife in election advertisements.

“We need a senator who will stand on the side of hard-working families, not cater to an extreme party fringe — bragging about a 92-percent approval rating from the American Conservative Union,” Hodge said in February, referencing Priola’s vote against the parental leave bill.

Priola argued at the time that the problem the bill sought to address might be better solved by having faculty hold meetings with parents after work hours or on weekends. It’s an argument Hill seemed to support Tuesday.

After the vote, the Colorado Senate Republican caucus argued on Twitter that government intervention to solve the problem was an overreach.

“If parental leave policies matter, employees will choose employers accordingly. Mandates aren’t needed 2 sort such matters out,” read a tweet.

Kerr pointed out that the bill aimed to renew the parental leave law passed in 2009 that had run without complaint from business for five years.

State Affairs Committee member Sen. Matt Jones, D-Louisville, said the opposition to the bill was baffling.

“I didn’t hear a soul get up here and say this (bill) isn’t a good idea,” he said. He referenced data presented during the hearing that shows parent involvement in education as a deciding factor in student success.

“We have to look at this from a competitive point of view,” Jones said. “This is a cheap way to boost the achievement of our kids. I don’t know why we wouldn’t do it.”

— john@coloradostatesman.com