Senate weighs sex-abuse suits
The Senate began debate Tuesday on a controversial proposal (House Bill 1090) to relax the statute of limitations for filing lawsuits involving alleged sex abuse of children. But action was delayed because the Senate president was “missing a vote.”
The Senate changed the bill to allow a victim to sue an alleged perpetrator or their employer until the victim is 53 years old. Prior to the Senate debate, there was no time limitation on filing suit.
Democratic Senate President Joan Fitz- Gerald supported the amendment. She has said she plans to put key provisions of her Senate Bill 143 into House Bill 1090.
None of the changes are official until a vote is taken on the bill.
Bill to seal phone data signed
Gov. Bill Owens signed a measure (Senate Bill 91) that prohibits the buying and selling of phone records without proper authorization. The bill makes it a misdemeanor with a penalty of up to six months in jail and a $500 fine to trade telephone records without authorization. Victims would also be able to pursue civil cases.
He also signed a bill (Senate Bill 115) that requires corporations building toll roads to file a map of the proposed route with the county clerk and require local governments to give their approval.
Voter-registration bill OK’d
A House committee approved a measure (Senate Bill 170) that would penalize voter registration drives that fail to turn over voter registration forms to county clerks. Lawmakers said a number of registration forms were not turned in, and people who thought they were registered were denied the right to vote.
Human-trafficking bill passes
A House committee approved Senate Bill 207, which would make human trafficking of adults a felony. Currently, it is against state law to sell children younger than 16 into indentured servitude or prostitution.
In other action Tuesday
The Senate unanimously passed a measure (Senate Joint Resolution 50) to honor the soldiers who are serving and have died in Iraq.
The Senate unanimously passed a measure (Senate Joint Resolution 46) to appoint Sally Symanski as state auditor to replace Joanne Hill. The measure is expected to pass the House, said Republican Sen. Jack Taylor of Steamboat Springs, chairman of the audit committee.
A House committee killed on a 6-5 party-line vote a measure (House Concurrent Resolution 1010) that would have reined in unlimited contributions to outside 527 groups and would have doubled allowable campaign contributions to individual candidates, according to a Republican news release.
