CINCINNATI (OH)
The Catholic Telegraph
ARCHDIOCESE - Members of the Ohio Senate approved a bill that extended reporting time for sexual abuse crimes from two to 20 years and strengthened the requirements for church officials to report suspected incidents of abuse by clergy and church employees and volunteers.
Before passing State Bill 17, however, the legislature removed a hotly debated "look-back" period for persons to file lawsuits for incidents that may have occurred decades ago.
The bill passed in the House by a vote of 77-16 and in the Senate by a vote of 18-13 on March 29.
The bill passed the Ohio Senate unanimously last year but has been stalled in the House judiciary committee amid debate between victims' advocates and the Catholic Conference of Ohio over the look-back period.