February 21, 2013 10:33 AM UTC

Why Is This Still a Law?

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• by: Colorado Pols

Democratic Sen. Pat Steadman is again running legislation to get rid of "immorality laws" that have been on the books for decades. A similar bill failed in the Republican-controlled House in 2011 after passing out of the Senate with support from ultra-conservatives like Shawn Mitchell and Ted Harvey. This again seems like a no-brainer, but then, that can sometimes be said of the Capitol itself. Here's how the Denver Post explains the law to be overturned:

Under current law, a motel owner, for example, who rents a room to a couple who are not husband and wife is guilty of the misdemeanor crime of "promoting immorality."

Yeah, that makes absolutely no sense. Democrat John Kefalas opposed the bill in 2011, saying he didn't want to condone adultery, which has nothing to do with what makes these laws so absurd. Nobody is "condoning" adultery — complete strangers just shouldn't be liable for what two other adults decide behind closed doors.