A California bill prompted in part by prosecutors’ difficulty in pursuing sexual assault charges against Bill Cosby cleared its first legislative hurdle Tuesday, when it passed a committee that previously had rejected efforts to allow prosecutions for crimes that victims say happened long ago.
The bill would eliminate the state’s 10-year statute of limitations on rape and child molestation charges.
Previous versions failed years ago in the Senate Public Safety Committee. But the new bill by Sen. Connie Leyva, D-Chino, passed the committee on a 4-0 vote after testimony by witnesses including Los Angeles lawyer Gloria Allred, who represents 30 of Cosby’s accusers.
