Statute of limitations reform legislation died last Friday after the Missouri Legislature adjourned without passing at least one of the companion bills, SJR-93 and HJR-130, despite the Against the Clock advocacy campaign urging voters to call their representatives and emphasize…
Cindy Clemishire Act does not advance in Oklahoma
Last week, the Oklahoma legislation known as the “Cindy Clemishire Act” died after the state Senate adjourned early, without calling the bill to a floor vote. This came just one day after its unanimous passage out of the Senate Judiciary…
Abuse reformers launch ‘Against the Clock’ in Missouri
No More Victims Alliance has launched a new advocacy campaign called “Against the Clock” in response to the stalling of two statute of limitations reform bills in Missouri as part of its national effort to expand abuse survivor access to justice….
Founder of ‘Thank You Jesus’ yard signs pleads guilty
Last Wednesday, Thank You Jesus Yard Sign founder Lucas Timothy Hunt pleaded guilty to a felony charge of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor in Randolph County, N.C. Hunt agreed to enter a plea deal and is sentenced to 36…
New research shows unprecedented drop in youth suicide rates
Suicide rates among American youth and young adults have taken a sharp drop, resulting in thousands of saved lives, according to a study published last week by the Journal of the American Medical Association. While suicide remains a leading cause…
Statute of limitations reform stalled in Missouri
Two proposed bills aiming to reform the civil statute of limitations in Missouri for child sexual abuse and trafficking claims have stalled. The bills in question are companion bills SJR-93 and HJR-130, which propose a choice to Missouri voters about…
‘Trey’s Law’ gains more momentum with Alabama signing
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey held a ceremonial signing of Trey’s Law (SB-30) March 30. The law prohibits nondisclosure agreements in civil cases involving sexual abuse, sexual assault and trafficking in the interest of public safety. Effective Oct. 1, Trey’s Law…
Machismo culture and fear of threatening the movement
Last week, The New York Times published an investigation uncovering at least five instances of sexual abuse committed against girls and women by César Chávez, an influential Latino leader in the farmworkers labor justice movement. According to interviews from 60…
Oklahoma House passes ‘Cindy Clemishire Act’ and ‘Trey’s Law’
On March 17, the Oklahoma House of Representatives voted unanimously to pass House Bill 4227, a piece of sexual abuse legislation now being referred to as the “Cindy Clemishire Act.” Cindy Clemishire is an Oklahoma native who was sexually abused…
Clergy sexual abuse survivors tell their stories in Georgia
In a unanimous and bipartisan vote on Thursday, March 19, the Georgia House Judiciary Committee advanced SB-542, the Clergy Sexual Abuse Accountability Bill, following testimony from survivors, advocates and experts who described the realities of clergy sexual abuse and gaps…
Senators announce bipartisan support for a federal ‘Trey’s Law’
Six bipartisan U.S. senators came together to announce the federal filing of “Trey’s Law,” introduced to the Senate as the “Terminating Restrictive Enforcement of Youth Settlements Law.” The bill — similar to versions passed or filed in a number of…
Georgia Senate unanimously approves clergy sexual abuse bill
The Georgia Senate voted 55–0 last Friday to pass Senate Bill 542, legislation aimed at strengthening criminal accountability for clergy sexual abuse in Georgia. Advocates say the measure closes a gap in state law and creates a path to justice…