NEW JERSEY
The Star-Ledger
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
BY ROBERT SCHWANEBERG
Star-Ledger Staff
Churches, private schools and other charities that negligently hire employees who sexually abuse children would retroactively lose their immunity against lawsuits under a bill that passed the Senate last night 63-5.
The bill, one of the most emotional considered this term, passed as more than a dozen victims of childhood sexual abuse and their relatives and supporters watched from the Senate gallery. They broke into applause as the running vote tally showed it would pass.
"Justice is coming for the children in New Jersey, and it is a great day," said Mark Crawford of Woodbridge, who was molested as a teenager by a parish priest. Several victims hugged Sen. Joseph Vitale (D-Middlesex) and Assemblyman Neil Cohen (D-Union), who have worked to change the law for more than five years.