CALIFORNIA
Press-Enterprise
AUGUST 21, 2013 BY JIM MILLER
The Assembly Appropriations Committee approved legislation Wednesday that would extend the statute of limitations for some alleged victims of childhood sexual abuse, reversing course from a week ago.
Senate Bill 131, sponsored by the National Center for Victims of Crime, would create a one-year window for people to sue groups who otherwise would be immune from litigation because of the amount of time elapsed since the alleged abuse.
Supporters say the measure would override a recent California Supreme Court ruling that prevents some childhood sex abuse victims from having their day in court.
The California Catholic Conference, private schools and nonprofit groups such as the YMCA and USA Swimming strongly oppose the proposal. They say it would be unfair to extend the statute of limitations on previously expired claims.
The measure passed the Senate and another Assembly committee. Last Wednesday, though, it fell three votes short of the nine necessary to pass the appropriations panel after several lawmakers abstained.
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