COLORADO
Rocky Mountain News
By Jean Torkelson, Rocky Mountain News
February 15, 2006
Lawmakers started signing on Tuesday to the Catholic Church's call to make public agencies subject to the same liability rules as churches and nonprofits in sex- abuse cases involving children.
Twenty-six Republicans, led by Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Yuma, signed a letter to Rep. Rosemary Marshall, D-Denver, asking her to amend House Bill 1088 - one of three sex-abuse bills before the legislature - so that public entities are included in statute of limitations changes.
The letter also asks that caps on attorney fees be added to the legislation.
"If this legislation is truly about bringing justice to victims, then any compensation should predominantly flow to victims, and not trial lawyers," the letter says.
Another measure, House Bill 1090, was amended Tuesday in the House Judiciary Committee to include public entities. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Gwyn Green, D-Golden, would remove the statute of limitations for bringing civil claims for acts of sexual abuse against children that take place on or after July 1 of this year.