New laws Take Effect Colorado 2022

New legislation strengthens the rights of sexual assault victims.  The Child Sexual Abuse Accountability Act, or Senate Bill 21-88, creates a statutory cause of action for victims of sexual misconduct that occurred when the victim was under the age of 18. The act allows the victim to bring a civil claim against the person who committed the sexual misconduct and against the organization that operates or manages a youth-related activity or program if “the organization knew or should have known of a risk of sexual misconduct against minors and the sexual misconduct occurred while the victim was participating in a youth program managed by the organization.”

According to the act, the cause of action is available to a victim that occurred on or after Jan. 1, 1960. Victims of sexual misconduct that happened between Jan. 1, 1960 and Jan. 1, 2022, must take action prior to Jan. 1, 2025. There is no time limitation for a victim to bring a claim for sexual misconduct that takes place on Jan. 1, 2022 or after. This bill was sponsored by Reps. Dafna Michaelson Jenet and Matt Soper, and Sen. Fields and Danielson.