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	Rally at State House in Boston, Wed., May 26, to Eliminate the Statutes of Limitations for Child Sexual Abuse Claims By Frank Douglas Voice from the Desert May 24, 2010 http://reform-network.net/?p=5128 This message, received by e-mail today, 5.24.2010, is intended primarily for Boston-area and Massachusetts readers. If you can attend the rally, e-mail me at frankdouglas62@yahoo.com and let me know. Your e-mail will help rally organizers estimate rally head count. * * * We’re holding a rally at the State House this Wednesday. This is the best chance we’ve had since 2002 to get the legislature to eliminate the statutes of limitations for child sexual abuse claims! Here are the details: Wednesday, May 26, State House, Boston 1:30 – 2:30: RALLY and press conference at the Grand Staircase. 11am – 5pm: We visit our legislators’ offices. If they’re not in, we leave our name and message with their aides. WHY: In March, the Judiciary Committee put our bill, House Bill No. 1523, “in study.” But recently, House Speaker DeLeo has become interested in our issue. If we hold an impressive rally on Wednesday, there’s a good chance the Speaker will move the bill out of study and bring it to the House floor for a vote! To learn more about House Bill 1523, see its five key provisions below, or go to www.corsal.org. IF YOU CANNOT MAKE IT WEDNESDAY, YOU CAN STILL HELP! Ask your legislators to attend the rally, voice their support for H. 1523, and urge the Speaker to bring it to the House floor for a vote. Go to www.corsal.org and click on “Find your legislators” for addresses and phone numbers. THANK YOU! 65 of you made phone calls to the Speaker in March. Your support is a big reason we’re in a good position today! House Bill 1523: * eliminates entirely the criminal statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse, and closes loopholes under which children, between 14 and 18, were not covered by recent amendments; * eliminates the civil statute of limitations for future childhood sexual abuse claims, and provides a two year window during which prior claims may be commenced, so that abuse survivors, who are time-barred from bringing a criminal prosecution, will be able to identify perpetrators in a public forum and obtain justice; and * eliminates the defense of charitable immunity, only with respect to childhood sexual abuse claims; * amends the §51A notice provision to include sexual abuse as a reason for enhanced non-reporting penalties, and ties clearer educational requirements to the penalty process; * provides C. 258C crime victim compensation funds for mental health treatment to childhood sexual abuse victims who report the abuse as adults.
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