December 15, 2005

Church officials to testify against allowing more abuse lawsuits

COLUMBUS (OH)
The Beacon Journal

CARRIE SPENCER GHOSE
Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Roman Catholic Church officials are fighting a bill that would allow victims of sexual abuse by priests to file lawsuits over alleged abuse that happened as early as 1970.
Columbus Bishop Frederick Campbell and other church officials were to testify Thursday to a House committee. Church officials have been lobbying against the bill since the Senate passed it unanimously in March.
An advocate for the victims said the lineup of those scheduled to speak is significant for who's missing - more Ohio bishops.
Church officials don't oppose the main part of the bill, requiring church employees to report suspected abuse. They want to remove a provision that allows alleged victims to sue over past abuse for one to two years from the bill's passage, said Timothy Luckhaupt, executive director of the Catholic Conference of Ohio.

Posted by kshaw at December 15, 2005 07:43 AM