NEW JERSEY
Asbury Park Press
Written by
Michael Symons
TRENTON — State senators might vote next month on a bill that eliminates the statute of limitations for suing in childhood sexual abuse cases, after the plan couldn’t muster the needed support Monday.
The proposal would apply retroactively and could allow victims to seek monetary damages from entities such as the Catholic Church and nonprofits that negligently employed abusers.
Seven of the 40 senators were absent from Monday’s rare summer voting session, and bill sponsor Sen. Joseph Vitale, D-Middlesex, said the bill didn’t appear to have support from 21 of the senators present. He’ll try again in September, when senators — including four Democrats Vitale hopes will back the bill — are back from vacation.
State law has already been changed to eliminate immunity from civil lawsuits related to child sexual abuse for charitable organizations. The new proposal would retroactively allow lawsuits for past incidents, which are currently subject to a two-year statute of limitations.
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