On Thursday, the committee for Colorado House unanimously approved a bill prompted by claims against comedian Bill Cosby which doubles a 10-year statute if limitations for seeking charges in sexual assault lawsuits. The Colorado lawmakers were inspired by Bill Cosby's case to sponsor such bill to give individuals who were victims of rape more time to seek criminal cases.
Yahoo News reported that two women, who accused Bill Cosby of assaulting them decades ago, and their attorney, planned a news conference. The two women and the lawyer said that the legislation would empower traumatized victims by allowing them to have more time to come forward.
One of the women who accused Cosby of sexual assault in 1986 supports the legislation and stated the 'shame and silence' of being a victim of sexual assault has to end. Meanwhile, women from Castle Rock, Heidi Thomas said that it took her three decades to come out in the open after she was assaulted by the comedian in 1984 in Reno, Nevada.
"I would have been sent off the planet" and lost her job if she comes forward at the time, Thomas said.
Since 1960, many women have already accused Bill Cosby of sexual assault, but Cosby denied all the allegations against him. The Denver Post reported that the bill isn't retroactive, therefore, it will not affect their claims should the proposal become a law.
Democratic Rep. Rhonda Fields of Aurora, who approached one of the women about sponsoring the bill, said that she believes the story of Ferrier and Thomas. Also, Rep. Senator John Cooke of Greeley is a co-sponsor, says Star Tribune.
The votes went 11-0 to send the bill extending the statute of 20 years to the House. Nevada extended its statute from four to twenty years after a woman accused Bill Cosby of sexually assaulting her. Meanwhile, Oregon and California's legislation are also considering the bill on the issue.
