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	Clergy Abuse Bill Limits Time for Victims to Sue Associated Press, carried in Columbus Dispatch [Ohio] March 28, 2006 http://www.columbusdispatch.com/news-story.php?story=175755 State lawmakers today dropped a proposal to allow victims of sexual abuse by clergy to file lawsuits in cases up to 35 years old. Victims' advocates lambasted House Speaker Jon Husted for striking what they see as the bill's most important provision, which would have allowed a one-year window for victims who missed the lawsuit deadline to sue for alleged abuse. Husted said leaders were unable to reach a compromise that suits church officials and an outspoken victims' support network, whose members descended on the Statehouse the past two days bearing laminated photos of themselves at the ages they were abused. The change was among bill revisions approved today by the House Judiciary Committee and headed for expected passage in a vote of the full House on Wednesday. Senate President Bill Harris said the Senate likely would agree with the changes. The revised bill also would shorten the period for future victims to sue over childhood sexual abuse from 20 to 12 years after turning 18, but it would give new authority to the state attorney general or county prosecutor in expired cases to file civil action alleging abuse. Victims could use the suits to get an abuser classified for a registry listing and then collect attorneys' fees, but could not reap additional damages. Penalties for failing to report abuse also would increase, and the bill would require known abusers to register their name, address and photo in a government-distributed database. But the committee has been primarily concerned with holding accountable clergy members, particularly Roman Catholic priests, who abused children under their care. Committee hearings sometimes stretching well beyond eight hours have been packed to overflowing with victims, their families and supporters. The group also rallied Ohio support through testimonials of high-profile abuse victims, including Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Gumbleton and Roy Simmons, a former NFL player for the New York Giants and Washington Redskins. Simmons spoke this week of being abused by a family acquaintance when he was 11 and the mental suffering he's endured since. The Ohio Catholic Conference and bishops have actively opposed allowing lawsuits on old cases, saying that the idea will not promote healing for victims and could endanger the rights of the accused to defend themselves. Frederick Campbell, bishop of the Columbus Diocese, testified that the proposal was bad public policy and might be unconstitutional. Husted said he doesn't want disagreement on the lawsuit proposal to further delay the good that can come from the rest of the bill. "We're not going to stop protecting children of today and hold up the bill over that lack of agreement on that one aspect," he said. Barbara Blaine, president of the Survivors' Network of those Abused by Priests, said the bill is a weak proposal. "It's a sham. It's an illusion, to make the Legislature look good today while they allow the kingpins who have enabled these abusers never to be held accountable," she said. SNAP members held out hope that a lawmakers would adopt an amendment Wednesday to return the lawsuit provision to the bill.
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