DENVER (AP) – A proposal to allow Colorado firefighters to have collective bargaining even when local governments oppose it has been approved by the Democratic Senate.

The measure now heads to the state House after the Senate voted 19-15 in favor of the change on Tuesday.

The labor measure would affect only a few hundred professional firefighters who don’t currently have collective bargaining rights. But the bill is controversial because local governments say it takes away from their control over employment decisions.

A similar bill in 2009 was vetoed by then-Gov. Bill Ritter. The current governor is in talks with lawmakers, but Gov. John Hickenlooper hasn’t said whether he’s veto the measure, too.

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