On Monday, the NY State Senate and Assembly overwhelmingly approved the Child Victims Act, which Gov. Andrew Cuomo has already promised to sign into law. The bill was passed unanimously in the Senate and with a 130-3 majority in the Assembly.
Agudath Israel of America responded with a statement that warned about the impact of the new law on future religious schools and institutions.
The Child Victims Act stretches by decades New York’s statutes of limitations for sex abuse of children, which formerly set the limit of the victim’s 23rd birthday on criminal or civil charges. Under the new law, prosecutors could bring criminal charges until a victim reaches age 28, and the victim can sue until he or she turn 55. This with a review window of one more year after age 55.
The new Democratic Senate majority leader, Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, said to the victims: “We apologize for not hearing you soon enough. We apologize for making you wait so long.” And four lawmakers revealed that they themselves had been victims of sexual abuse.
Agudath Israel Of America on Tuesday issued a statement saying it favored “taking steps to protect our precious children and helping prevent sexual abuse,” noting it had “supported measures expanding the statute of limitations for both civil and criminal actions.”
“However, we opposed aspects of the Child Victims Act, out of concern that the unprecedented ability to revive decades-old claims in civil suits could jeopardize the ongoing viability of schools and houses of worship that sponsor youth programs, summer camps and other institutions that are the very lifeblood of communities like ours. That concern remains.”
The urgency to balance society’s need for justice with the foibles of a justice system rife with nuisance lawsuits is obvious, and Agudah, like many religious institutions, was caught between the rock and the hard place. In the end, they had the wisdom to side with the angels (which, at this point, include the vast majority of the GOP as well), stating that “above all … we are keenly and painfully aware of the terrible toll taken by child sexual abuse. Our hearts go out to each and every victim of such crimes. We hope and pray that the Almighty grant them healing and serenity, just as we must redouble our efforts to help eradicate this terrible scourge.”
Having recognized the need for positive optics in this case, Agudath Israel of America avoided the horrible press the New York Catholic Conference has received recently, especially after the op-ed published recently in the NY Daily News by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, where he accused Governor Cuomo of attempting to “single out the church and weaken its ministry.”