Gov. Bill Ritter signed a bill into law today calling for the notification of the availability of emergency contraception to sexual assault victims.

Senate Bill 60, co-sponsored by Sen. Betty Boyd, D-Lakewood, and Rep. Anne McGihon, D-Denver, directs all licensed health-care facilities providing emergency care to sexual assault victims to have protocols for informing a survivor, in a timely fashion, of the availability and use of emergency contraception.

The measure provides exceptions for individual health care professionals on the basis of religious or moral beliefs.

"A lot of people spent a lot of time working very hard on this bill," Ritter said. "Thank you to everyone who participated in this extremely collaborative process."

"I truly believe this is a great day for women and a great day for women's health," Boyd said. "We will be assisting some of our most vulnerable citizens with this bill."