A Republican proposal making it a class 2 misdemeanor to sell or distribute pornographic material to a minor was nearly gutted today by ruling Democrats in the Senate. In the end, Senate Bill 125, sponsored by the GOP's Sen. Ted Harvey, of Highlands Ranch, passed in tact before being sent to the Appropriations Committee.

Colorado is one of just seven states that do not have a law against selling or giving pornographic material to a child.

An amendment offered by Democrats would have kept porn sales to children legal, instead turning the bill into what Republicans dismissed as a less effective prohibition  on using pornography in the commission of sex crimes against children. 

"I consider (the amendment) to be a shame," Harvey told fellow senators.  "The average citizen would think it's illegal to sell porn to a minor, but it's not."

Republicans were able to rally with a timely counter-amendment by Republican Sen. Mike Kopp, of Littleton, who resurrected the bill's original intent. It combined the Democrat version with the original Republican one, winning lopsided approval.