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Colorado extends statute of limitations for sex abuse cases

Posted at 1:20 PM, Jun 10, 2016
and last updated 2016-06-10 20:14:13-04

Inspired by the Bill Cosby rape allegations, Colorado has doubled the amount of time sexual assault victims can seek charges from 10 to 20 years.

Gov. John Hickenlooper signed into law Friday a bill extending the statute of limitations for pursuing sex assault charges.

Democratic Rep. Rhonda Fields crafted the bill after being approached by two Colorado women who claim Cosby assaulted them decades ago.

Los Angeles attorney Gloria Allred attended the bill signing. She has said such laws empower traumatized victims by giving them more time to come forward.

Cosby has denied abuse allegations made by women around the country. But he faces trial in Pennsylvania, where the comedian is accused of drugging and sexually assaulting a woman at his suburban Philadelphia home in 2004.

MORE | Colorado woman who accused Bill Cosby of sexual assault says she's shocked he will stand trial

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