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	SNAP 'Disappointed' at Changes Made to Sex Abuse Bill House Drops Plan to Allow Victims to Sue over Decades-Old Abuse NBC4i March 28, 2006 http://www.nbc4i.com/news/8316477/detail.html Columbus, Ohio -- Lawmakers are dropping a proposal to allow lawsuits by victims of clergy sexual abuse that happened up to 35 years ago, the Ohio House leader said Tuesday. Victims of child sex abuse said they were disappointed Tuesday after a house committee changed Senate Bill 17 -- designed to protect children, NBC 4's Lauren Crowner reported. The bill was approved by the Senate and would allow people abused by priests to have up to 20 years to report the abuse after it happened. But, the House Judiciary Committee changed the time limit to 12 years. Victims said they were also looking for a provision which would have allowed a one-year window for victims who missed the lawsuit deadline to sue for alleged abuse. Speaker Jon Husted said leaders have been unable to reach a compromise that suits church officials and the outspoken victims' support network SNAP, whose members descended on the Statehouse the past two days bearing laminated photos of themselves at the ages they were abused. Now, members of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests said they were outraged, and the new bill does not protect children. "It's devastating because of how kids were sold out today," said Claudia Vercellotti, SNAP Toledo leader. "They didn't amend the bill. They gutted the bill. They took out the provisions that would protect children," said Barbara Blaine, SNAP president. "It's a feel good bill. It's a half-baked, untested, last-minute scheme they put together." SNAP members said they plan on lobbying Wednesday when the bill moves to the house floor, in an effort to return the bill to the original draft. Watch NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com for additional information.
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