A March 14 article in the Rocky Mountain News by Alan Gathright echoed a conservative talking point regarding Colorado House Bill 1330, a measure to allow second-parent adoption, by referring to it in the headline and the article as a “gay adoption” bill. In fact, as The Gazette of Colorado Springs correctly reported on March 14, HB 1330 “would permit adoption of children by grandparents, siblings, extended relatives, common law spouses and other adults living with the parent.” Furthermore, previous reporting by the News noted that the evangelical Christian organization Focus on the Family characterized the bill as “a back-door effort to legalize adoption by gay couples,” a point the group has repeated in other media outlets.

The Denver Post and the Associated Press also echoed the Focus talking point, citing the “same-sex adoption” angle in March 14 articles.

HB 1330 makes no reference to “gay adoption” or “same-sex adoption”; it "[a]llows a child to be adopted by a specified second adult parent upon the written and verified consent of a single parent if the child has no other legal parent."

In its article headlined “Gay adoption, teen tanning bills facing final House votes today,” the News misleadingly reported that “House lawmakers gave initial approval Tuesday to a bill allowing gay adoptions.” It further noted that HB 1330, “sponsored by Rep. Alice Madden, D-Boulder, would allow cohabitating couples, including gay couples, to adopt.” While the article quoted Madden's statement that her bill “would allow more Colorado children to have two parents,” it also reported that “Republicans warned that the bill ignored the wishes of Colorado voters, who last year defeated Referendum I, which would have legalized domestic partnerships.”

In contrast, The Gazette reported:

DENVER -- The House gave preliminary approval Tuesday to a bill that would permit adoption of children by grandparents, siblings, extended relatives, common law spouses and other adults living with the parent.

House Bill 1330 drew fire from Republicans in the House, who unsuccessfully sought to amend the bill to ban adoptions by same-sex couples and refer the measure to the fall 2008 ballot.

Moreover, the labeling of HB 1330 as a “gay adoption” bill reflects a tactic of Focus on the Family, which was quoted as giving that description in a previous News article. As the News noted on March 9, “The sponsor of the bill [HB 1330] says it's a common-sense measure to help children of single parents.” That article further reported:

Focus on the Family says the bill is a back-door effort to legalize adoption by gay couples.

[...]

The bill has been condemned by conservative religious groups, including Focus on the Family, who call it a thinly disguised effort to legalize adoption by gay couples.

“All the high-minded discussion of 'protecting children' and 'parental responsibility' is merely a smokescreen for the true intent of this legislation: paving the way for homosexual adoption,” Jim Pfaff, president of Colorado Family Action, was quoted as saying on the Focus on the Family Web site Wednesday.

He said the bill ignores the wishes of Colorado voters, who last year overwhelmingly defeated Referendum I, which would have legalized domestic partnerships and gay adoption.

A March 7 article posted on Focus on the Family's citizenlink.com website similarly stated, “Liberal Colorado lawmakers unveiled a bill Tuesday that would allow homosexual couples to adopt children”:

But Jim Pfaff, president of Colorado Family Action, said the legislation exploits single parents in order to promote homosexual adoption.

“All the high-minded discussion of 'protecting children' and 'parental responsibility' is merely a smokescreen for the true intent of this legislation: paving the way for homosexual adoption,” he said.

As Colorado Media Matters has noted, Pfaff has made the “homosexual adoption” assertion through other media outlets. For example, a March 7 Post article by Capitol Bureau chief Jeri Clausing quoted Pfaff as stating that “homosexual adoption was part of Referendum I ... and the voters of Colorado rejected it.”

In addition to repeating Focus on the Family's conservative talking point, the March 14 News article failed to note that Colorado law already permits gay individuals to adopt children.

Similarly, a March 14 Denver Post online article mischaracterized HB 1330 with the headline “House votes for same-sex adoptions.” The article further reported, “The Colorado House on Tuesday endorsed a plan to let same-sex and other unmarried couples adopt the children of their partners” without noting that Colorado law allows such adoptions.

In the same vein, a March 14 Associated Press article regarding HB 1330 had the headline “Committee Backs Allowing Same-Sex Couples To Adopt.” However, the article did note that "[c]urrent state law allows gay individuals to adopt a child, but not their same-sex partners."

From the March 14 Rocky Mountain News article, "Gay adoption, teen tanning bills facing final House votes today," by Alan Gathright:

House lawmakers gave initial approval Tuesday to a bill allowing gay adoptions and another restricting the use of tanning salons by teens.

Both bills face final votes today. Each ignited scorching floor debate.

House Bill 1330, sponsored by Rep. Alice Madden, D-Boulder, would allow cohabitating couples, including gay couples, to adopt.

“This bill is about children,” Madden said. “It would allow more Colorado children to have two parents.” In turn, they would have more emotional and economic stability, she said.

Republicans warned that the bill ignored the wishes of Colorado voters, who last year defeated Referendum I, which would have legalized domestic partnerships. At the time, the state's voters approved Amendment 43, which added a section to the Colorado Constitution that defines marriage as only a union between one man and one woman.

“It's the sense of the people of Colorado that same-sex couples or that environment is not good for the children of Colorado,” said Rep. Kent Lambert, R-Colorado Springs. He said the bill attempts to “undefine what our culture says is normative.”

“These families exist, whether you like it or not,” replied Madden. She said that more than half the nation's children are in nontraditional homes led by single parents, grandparents or others.

The bill passed on a voice vote, with Democrats defeating Republican efforts to put the issue before voters.