renfroe-scottState Senator Scott Renfroe (pictured), a Greeley Republican, equated homosexuality to a sin on par with murder yesterday during debate in the state Capitol over a bill that would allow the partners of gay and lesbian state employees to receive health care benefits. “We have all sorts of sin… We would never think to make murder legal,” Renfroe said (via the Colorado Springs Gazette), adding that homosexuality is an “offense to God” and that women were created to be “helpers” for men. The bill’s sponsor, Senator Jennifer Veiga, a Denver Democrat who is openly gay, retorted, “God also created me,” calling Renfroe’s comments “hurtful.” Some lawmakers argued that Veiga and others were positioning to overturn the 2006 state law that defines marriage between a man and a woman, but Veiga denied it, according to the Rocky Mountain News, which notes that lawmakers gave initial approval to her legislation, Senate Bill 88. Meanwhile, Aurora’s City Council decided last night to extend benefits to same-gender partners of city employees in a 7-3 vote, according to The Denver Post.