Colorado Senate Bill 88 signed into law, allowing victims of childhood sexual assault to hold institutions accountable; SNAP applauds the development
Colorado Senate Bill 88 signed into law, allowing victims of childhood sexual assault to hold institutions accountable; SNAP applauds the development
On July 6th Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed Senate Bill 88 into law. This "window to justice," which will allow victims of child sexual abuse who were assaulted after 1960 to file lawsuits for restitution from public and private entities, will go into effect in January of 2022 and remain open for three years. Private entities could be responsible for up to $500,000 in damages, with a possibility of that amount doubling should the court find that there was any cover-up. Public institutions are only responsible for damages up to $387,000.
We applaud Colorado survivors and advocates for their relentless pursuit of justice in Colorado. Senate Bill 88 received the same bipartisan support that was given to Senate Bill 73, which ends the statute of limitations for all claims of child sexual abuse in the state going forward. That legislation will also go into effect this coming January.
It is a fact that current and past civil laws have protected the wrong individuals and institutions from accountability for their actions. By taking this step to reform Colorado statutes, it will now be possible for more survivors to have their day in court. Some of the costs associated with the lifelong trauma of sexual abuse will be moved from victims and taxpayers and onto the abusers and enablers. But more importantly, communities will be safer as the names of "hidden predators" are revealed.
We believe Colorado is sending a strong message to legislators in other states who are stuck on constitutionality issues or party line disagreements. When it comes to doing the right thing for victims and protecting children, the state took a stand against predators and powerful institutions.
CONTACT: Michael McDonnell, SNAP Communications Manager ([email protected] 267-261-0578), Jeb Barrett, SNAP Denver ([email protected], 720-608-8532), Zach Hiner, SNAP Executive Director ([email protected], 517-974-9009)
Showing 1 comment