Child sex assault amendment falls by one vote due to GOP opposition

An effort to amend the Colorado C onstitution to allow the removal of t he statute of l imitations o n childhood sexual a ssault cases failed a long p artisan lines Wednesday in the state Senate — f alling one vote s hy o f the two- thirds r equirement to put the measure on the ballot.

The resolution, supported b y Democrats in the 23- 12 vote, would have asked voters t o allow future legislators to pass laws allowing lawsuits against childhood sexual abusers and institutions that protected them.

Every Republican voted no on the measure, dooming the effort.

As it stands now, people who are 28 years or older cannot sue over the abuse they suffered a s children, said prime s ponsor S en. Jessie Danielson, a Wheat Ridge Democrat. Most abuse survivors don’t come forward until their 50s, she said.

“Why should we create barriers f or j ustice, for a child who has been sexually abused?” Sen. Rhonda Fields, an Aurora Democrat and fellow prime sponsor, s aid before t he final vote. “It makes no s ense to me. We’re either for justice or we’re not. We either want to protect children or not.”

Immediately after the vote, Republican l eadership i ssued a statement defending the caucus’ vote o n grounds of p rotecting “principles of legal certainty and reliance, the principle of finality of litigation, and due process.” It also listed several other bills the caucus has supported over t he y ears against sexual abuse and human trafficking.

Danielson, i n an a fternoon s tatement, alleged that “Republicans have aligned themselves w ith child sex abusers and powerful institutions who protected predators.”

She characterized the measure as one that would be u ncontroversial w ith voters and s aid, “We are not done. We w ill win in the end.”