PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - Sponsors of a bill that would give victims of childhood sexual abuse more time to sue their abusers or institutions that shielded them are angry that Senate leaders don’t support a key feature of the bill.
That feature is a provision that leaves open the door for suits based on recovered memories against institutions, such as the Catholic church or the Boy Scouts.
The House Judiciary Committee unanimously approved legislation Tuesday extending the limit for filing suits from seven years to 35 years.
The Providence Journal reports the Senate Judiciary Committee posted a reworked version of the bill Thursday. Senate spokesman Greg Pare says it was changed based on the belief that 35 years is sufficient.
Sen. Donna Nesselbush called that “totally unacceptable.”
The Rhode Island Catholic Conference says both versions reflect progress toward a “fair, legally sound result.”
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Information from: The Providence Journal, http://www.providencejournal.com
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