Markey Believes Sex Abuse Bill Could Finally Get Traction

By Aaron Short
City & State
April 18, 2013

http://www.cityandstateny.com/markey-believes-sex-abuse-bill-could-finally-get-traction/

Marge Markey

For the past eight years Assemblywoman Margaret Markey has introduced legislation to expand the statute of limitations for victims of sex abuse.

The bill, which would allow child sex abuse victims to file lawsuits against their abusers, has failed to gain traction previously, but Markey believes a number of high-profile abuse cases in the Catholic Church and the Hasidic community, and an increased lobbying effort, will sway her colleagues and Gov. Andrew Cuomo. “I really think the governor is open to it,” she said. “If we get it past the Senate he’ll be open to signing it. You can’t pick up a newspaper these days without reading about an incident happening in a school or a religious institution.”

Senate Republicans have opposed the measure in the past, arguing that its scope was too broad. Markey must also deal with a competing version of her bill that Democratic Assemblyman Michael Cusick is sponsoring. Markey said she would not derail Cusick’s bill but instead rally support for her own proposal.