The gay-friendly side of the Republican Party was on display today as the GOP-majority state Senate passed much-talked-about legislation expanding anti-harassment protections to include the LGBTQ population and the disabled, and toughening penalties.

House Bill 1188, sponsored in the upper chamber by state Sen. Don Coram, R-Montrose, and Sen. Dominick Moreno, D-Commerce City, adds physical or mental disabilities as well as sexual orientation to the categories covered by the state’s anti-harassment statute. The bill raises the stakes for breaking the law from a class 3 misdemeanor to a class 1 misdemeanor.

According to a Senate GOP press release, one in three teens is bullied or harassed, and youth with disabilities are 10 times more likely to suffer harassment than a typical student.

Coram is quoted in the press statement:

“This bill is a commonsense fix that is long overdue…By adding LGBTQ and disabled Coloradans to the harassment statute, we can ensure that more Coloradans feel safe to come forward and report the crimes against them. Keeping our communities safe is an ongoing priority that requires a constant commitment to every single Coloradan. Today, the Senate stood with some of Colorado’s most vulnerable.”

The legislation, previously passed by the House, was approved by the Senate on a voice vote and now faces only a formal, roll-call vote in that chamber before heading to the governor for his signature.