CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — Nevada senators have approved a bill extending the state's statute of limitations on sexual assault cases.
Senators voted unanimously Sunday to approve AB212, which raises the reporting deadline from four years to 20 years after the date of the alleged crime. The proposal now heads to the governor.
A Nevada woman who accused comedian Bill Cosby of sexually assaulted her decades ago testified in support of the bill in March.
The original proposal called for a removal of the statute of limitations altogether, but an amendment instead lifted it to 20 years following the alleged assault.
Proponents of the bill said it would help sexual assault victims, and argued that it often takes years before they gather the courage to file a police report.