Update from NY affiliate on Statute of Limitation Reform (continued)
Submitted by Francis Piderit
The following argument is being used against the legislation: “Outside the home, public schools are the most frequent place where young people encounter abuse. Because of the inherent unfairness of not amending the law to allow new suits against public institutions, it is clear that this bill is not about justice for victims of sexual abuse. Instead it is a thinly disguised targeting of the Catholic Church and other religious and not-for-profit organizations.”
Public institutions such as public schools are governed by different laws in many states, including New York State, to guard our government against frivolous lawsuits. The argument being made by the lobbyists is this: because the legislation proposed by Assemblywoman Marge Markey does not change the laws governing public institutions, we should conclude that the legislation is unfairly targeting Catholic institutions.
We all know that the Catholic Church is never mentioned in the proposed legislation. We also know that this legislation will remedy many cases where victims have been locked out of our courthouses. The fact that the legislation does not remedy every such case of injustice, and therefore should be opposed, is a totally un-Christian argument, unworthy of our Church. But this is the case that the lobbyists make, in our name and with our money.
Please continue to talk with your friends and family and encourage them to contact their legislators to encourage passage of this historic legislation. Members of VOTF will be lobbying in Albany on April 21 to convince lawmakers to pass the legislation this year.
