DENVER • Any state lawmaker planning on a vacation any time soon got some bad news on Wednesday — they’re not done.

Gov. John Hickenlooper upended the Colorado political scene when he announced that he would call a special session of the Legislature to revisit the Democratic civil unions bill that died in the House on Tuesday night. The General Assembly adjourned Wednesday night, but by law, the governor can force it to reconvene and take up any issue he wants.

And that’s exactly what Hickenlooper is doing.

The bill Hickenlooper is interested in would create civil unions for gay couples, and grant them many of the same rights as straight married couples. He announced the special session on the same day that President Barack Obama told ABC that he supports gay marriage.

“This is a circumstance where we are depriving people of their civil rights, without reason,” Hickenlooper told reporters.

In his January state of the state speech, Hickenlooper called on lawmakers to pass civil unions. The issue is a personal one for him. His eyes teared up when he spoke of an old acquaintance from the restaurant business who pushed him on civil unions. Many gays in the restaurant business, he said, aren’t granted the same rights as heterosexual people.

“I had a call yesterday from one of them, who just asked, ‘If not now, when?’” Hickenlooper said.

Civil unions are significantly different from gay marriage, Hickenlooper added, saying that he would not presume to tell religious organizations who to marry.

The special session may start as soon as Friday, Hickenlooper said, but specifics were not immediately available. Hickenlooper said he was waiting until the Legislature adjourned, in case there were additional bills he might want to include in the special session’s agenda.

Hickenlooper said he would likely include bills in the special session that have to do with public safety and the economy.

By law, special sessions must last at least three days, but there’s no limit to how long they may go. The last special session, in 2006, dealt with immigration reform, and lasted five days. A special session in 2002 lasted just three days, and one in 1991 lasted 60 days.

Special sessions cost the state $23,500 per day, but 15 days worth of a session is included in the state budget. And next year’s budget, which kicks in July 1, automatically included funding for 20 days. Hickenlooper said the session wouldn’t cost the state anything more, unless the session runs over its limit.

Legislative Republicans were irritated that Hickenlooper revealed his plans to the media before conferring with them.

“We haven’t heard anything from the governor on a special session,” said Rep. Mark Waller, R-Colorado Springs, the assistant House majority leader. “I’m not sure what his agenda is. I don’t know or understand why a special session would be necessary.”

Rep. Bob Gardner, R-Colorado Springs, said the session is unnecessary, and that the “question of civil unions has been settled for this year.”

“If the governor called a special session every time he didn’t get something he wanted, we’d be in special sessions all year,” Gardner said.

Capitol Democrats said the special session was needed, because House Speaker Frank McNulty, R-Highlands Ranch, cut off debate and killed the bill before it could be voted on. Republicans filibustered, and the House didn’t have enough time to finish the measure before the Legislature adjourned for the year.

“They killed the bill on a procedural move,” said Senate Majority Leader John Morse, D-Colorado Springs. “It’s a good idea to get this done. I’m more than happy to do a special session.”

Rep. Pete Lee, another Colorado Springs Democrat, said civil unions are “inevitable.”

“It’s unfortunate that that’s the way it’s going to be done,” said Lee. “We could have finished it during the session, in a more timely way.”

Morse added that a special session is a good idea because there are many bills the Legislature didn’t finish.

Gov. John Hickenlooper (Denver Post file) Photo by

Rep. Nancy Todd, D-Aurora, comforts House Minority Leader Mark Ferrandino, D-Denver, after the civil unions bill he co-sponsored was killed late Tuesday. House Speaker Frank McNulty called a recess to prevent Senate Bill 2 from coming to the floor, making Photo by

House Speaker Frank McNulty confirms to reporters late Tuesday that an impasse will prevent consideration of a civil unions bill during the regular session. The move killed the legislation and dozens of other bills stacked up behind it. (Karl Gehring,The Photo by