[W]ith no debate, the Senate unanimously passed a bill Monday to eliminate the statute of limitations for civil cases of childhood sexual abuse.
The bill, H.330, would remove the six-year statute of limitations currently in place for civil suits. Last session, statute of limitations were also extended for the filing of criminal charges. The most severe crimes, like aggravated sexual assault of a minor, now have no limit, while the statute of limitations for other offenses against minors was extended to 40 years.
The new bill is aimed toward helping victims who often take years to come forward against their abusers. Lawyer Jerry O’Neill, who has filed nearly 50 priest misconduct claims against Vermont’s Catholic Church, has been one of the bill’s biggest supporters.
He testified before the House Judiciary Committee in favor of the legislation in March, explaining how long it can take victims of childhood abuse in particular to come forward.
“The shame and the fear and the unwillingness to kind of delve into it themselves and deal with it, is such that the average age that people are really ready and able to delve in and deal with it is in their 40s,” O’Neill said.
Some opposed the bill, including a community resource center in Burlington. Lawyers representing Sunrise Family Resource Center testified that the legislation could cause the center to close entirely, thus punishing the community members for whom it provides housing, education and family support.
Lawsuits have been filed against Sunrise in the past several years for sexual abuse allegations against one of the center’s employees that allegedly occurred in 1988. Their lawyers told the Senate Judiciary Committee that repealing the limits could lead to crushing legal fees that might cause the center to close entirely.
They suggested instead extending civil statute of limitations for sexual abuses cases to the age of 30, giving victims 12 adult years to report abuse — though O’Neill said in his experience, that tends to not be enough time. The bill was not amended to reflect the center’s concerns.
The legislation was passed by the House in March. It now heads to the governor’s desk for approval. If signed, the law will take effect on July 1.
