DENVER (CO)
Denver Post
By Mark P. Couch
Denver Post Staff Writer
Barbara Dorris of St. Louis shows a photo of herself Monday at age 7 or 8, when she claims a priest sexually abused her. (Post / Lyn Alweis)
Colorado Catholic Church officials had a message Monday for state lawmakers: Do unto yourselves as you would do unto us.
Church representatives argued that a bill to give sexual-abuse victims greater legal power to sue their attackers and their employers was unfair because it exposed the church, but not public schools, to lawsuits.
But the Senate State Affairs Committee rejected the church's argument, voting 5-1 after nearly 7½ hours of emotional debate from sex- abuse victims, priests who supported the bill and church attorneys who opposed it.
The bill now goes to the full Senate for its review.