Tuesday, December 13, 2005
PHILADELPHIA DIOCESE IN TROUBLE ?
TRENTON - The Legislature gave its final approval yesterday to a bill that would make New Jersey the 48th state to allow victims of childhood sex abuse to sue churches, schools and other nonprofits for the actions of employees.
The Assembly, where the bill had been stalled for 18 months, passed it, 63-5, with nine abstentions, after more than an hour of sometimes heated debate. The Senate approved it in May 2004.
The bill goes to acting Gov. Richard J. Codey, who voted for it as Senate president.
"The governor has always been supportive of this measure, and it's very likely he would sign it," said his spokeswoman, Kelley Heck.
The bill, opposed by the Roman Catholic Church, would change the law that shields charities from liability for employee misconduct. Victims still would have to prove that supervisors knew about the misconduct and did nothing about it.
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I believe it was the statute of limitations that made most of the sexual abuse cases reported by the Grand Jury untouchable. Will this change the rules?
