NEW YORK
King’s County Politics
In a historic moment and after years of lobbying, an emotionally charged State Assembly today passed the Child Victims Act legislation, 129-7, extending the statute of limitation for criminal and civil child sex abuse cases.
It was the first time that either chamber of the legislature has approved the measure after 10 years of lobbying.
Under current law, the statute of limitations for felony sexual abuse crimes runs five years and begins at age 18. Under the today’s passed legislation, the five-year statute of limitations clock wouldn’t begin until the victim is 23. The statute of limitations for civil cases would be extended to age 50. The new measure would also create a one-year window of time for past victims of sexual abuse whose time period to bring a lawsuit has passed to file a civil lawsuit against their abuser.
Among the most active groups lobbying against the measure are the Catholic Church and Agudath Israel of America, which lobbies on behalf of a number of Yeshivas. Extending the statute of limitations, they argue, could cost these institutions millions of dollars for rabbis and priests that committed sexual abuse on young students years ago.
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