COLUMBUS (OH)
Beacon Journal
ANDREW WELSH-HUGGINS
Associated Press
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Victims of child sexual abuse that happened as long ago as 1970 could sue the alleged perpetrators under a bill the Senate was expected to approve Wednesday.
The lawsuits could come even though the deadlines under law for reporting such abuse passed years or decades ago, according to the new version of the bill to be voted on Wednesday by the GOP-controlled Senate Criminal Justice Committee.
A vote by the full Senate was expected to follow later in the day.
Victims would have one year to file such a claim after the law takes effect or two years if the victim currently has a case in court.
The bill would also dramatically extend the deadline for filing abuse claims in the future.
Under current law, victims have one year after turning 18 to file claims against an alleged abuser and two years to file a claim against an institution that may have contributed to the abuse, such as a church or school.
Posted by kshaw at March 15, 2005 08:23 PM