A Senate committee on Wednesday passed a bill allowing gay couples to form civil unions despite protests it violates religious freedoms and overrides the will of Coloradans.

The Senate Judiciary Committee approved Senate Bill 11 on a 3-2 party-line vote with both Republican senators opposed.

“Today has been years in the making,” said Sen. Lucia Guzman, D-Denver, one of four gay lawmakers sponsoring the bill.

“There are those here today who spent years hiding, hiding the truth from their parents, friends, bosses, even hiding from themselves.”

The outcome of civil unions this session is not in doubt: Democrats control the Senate, House and the governor’s mansion. But that didn’t stop a string of witnesses from testifying for more than four hours, urging the bill’s passage or its death.

Kellie Fiedorek with the Alliance Defending Freedom said the bill “fails to provide significant safeguards for the religious liberties of all Coloradans.”

Carrie Gordon Earll with CitizenLink, an arm of Focus on the Family, said the bill isn’t about benefits, but about moving toward redefining marriage.

Senate Bill 11 now heads to the Appropriations Committee, one of a number of steps before the measure makes it way to the governor’s desk. It is expected to be signed into law by Gov. John Hickenlooper in March and become law on May 1.

A number of opponents pointed out that voters in 2006 rejected a civil-unions type measure while approving a ballot measure defining marriage as between one man and one woman.

But Sen. Jessie Ulibarri, D-Commerce City, pointed out much has changed since then, including attitudes toward gays and civil unions. “Our laws are living and breathing,” he said.

And Sen. Irene Aguilar, D-Denver, noted voters in 2006 also rejected legalizing marijuana, which brought a laugh from crowd. Voters in November approved a measure that legalizes the sale and use of marijuana.

A portion of the testimony dealt with the plight of a Lakewood baker who refused to make a cake for a gay couple and could face fines and a one-year jail sentence. The bill doesn’t protect the constitutional rights of Coloradans, the baker’s attorney, Nicolle Martin testified.

The issue provided a string of light-hearted tweets and a remark from Ulibarri: “Let them eat cake.” he said.

Perhaps the most poignant testimony came from Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, who talked about his brother’s death from AIDS and how his mother was discriminated against.

Mario Nicolais, spokesman for Coloradans for Freedom, a group of Republicans supporting civil unions, cited the movie “Lincoln” and the first Republican president’s quest for liberty.

“The so-called homosexual agenda is nothing more than a desire to participate in the American dream the rest of us are already afforded,” he said.

This year’s measure no longer includes a provision that exempts adoption agencies from placing children with same-sex couples.

Mark Rohlena, with Catholic Charities of Central Colorado, said similar groups in other states were “forced out of the adoption-care business” when civil-unions like measures passed.

But Steadman noted even when the bill contained that exemption Catholic leaders still testified against his measure, so he decided not to include it this year.

Lynn Bartels: 303-954-5327, lbartels@denverpost.com or twitter.com/lynn_bartels