BUFFALO (NY)
WBFO
November 8, 2018
By Michael Mroziak
With a pending change in political leadership in the New York State Senate, hopes are renewed for passage of a proposal which would ease statutes of limitation for adults seeking criminal or civil justice in childhood sexual abuse cases. On Thursday, a Republican State Senator introduced his own version of such legislation, while advocates for victims of alleged abuse by clergy suggest the church may seek to limit liability if such a bill is passed next year.
Senator Patrick Gallivan announced his version of a child victim bill, known as the Child Victims Protection and Accountability Act. It would eliminate any statute of limitation for criminal child sex abuse cases. For adults seeking civil action for offenses against them as a child, the age limit to pursue litigation would be extended to age 50. Current state law gives them up to the age of 23 to sue but critics argue many adults do not fully comprehend or process the trauma of their childhood ordeal until well into their adulthood.
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