File #: Res 1572-2008    Version: * Name: NYS Senate to pass S.4614-A, which would help protect children from sexual predators.
Type: Resolution Status: Filed
Committee: Committee on Public Safety
On agenda: 8/14/2008
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: Resolution calling on the New York State Senate to pass S.4614-A, which would help protect children from sexual predators.
Sponsors: Letitia James, Inez E. Dickens, Simcha Felder, John C. Liu, Annabel Palma, Kendall Stewart
Council Member Sponsors: 6

Res. No. 1572

 

Resolution calling on the New York State Senate to pass S.4614-A, which would help protect children from sexual predators.

 

By Council Members James, Dickens, Felder, Liu, Palma and Stewart

 

                     Whereas, Sex crimes, particularly those committed against children, are among the most heinous and deeply disturbing crimes in our society, and

                     Whereas, Sex crimes leave life-long scars that profoundly impact victims, leading to long-term mental and emotional trauma; and

                     Whereas, New York State Assemblywoman Margaret Markey introduced A.4560, which has since been amended to A.4560-B (Windows Legislation), during the Assembly’s 2007-2008 regular session; and                     

                     Whereas, The Windows Legislation would amend the New York State Criminal Procedure Law to increase the criminal statute of limitation for certain sex offenses committed against a child under the age of eighteen; and                     

                     Whereas, The period of limitation would not begin to run until the earlier of (i) the child reaching the age of twenty-three (ii) the offense being reported to a law enforcement agency; or (iii) the offense being reported to the statewide central register of child abuse and maltreatment; and

                     Whereas, The Windows Legislation would also amend the New York State Civil Practice Law and Rules by extending the civil statute of limitation by five years so that it would not begin to run until the victim turned twenty-three years of age; and

Whereas, This would extend the time for civil prosecution until the victim reached the age of twenty-eight; and                      

Whereas, The Windows Legislation would give a one-year “window period” from the date of the bill’s enactment to those people for whom the right to bring civil action has been foreclosed because of  the current civil statute of limitations, regardless of the victim’s age; and

Whereas, The Windows Legislation was passed out of the Assembly on June 4, 2007 and delivered to the Senate on the same date; and

Whereas, New York State Senator Stephen M. Saland introduced companion bill S.4614-A; and                     

Whereas, S.4614-A would provide a remedy for those whose lives have been unalterably changed by the horror of childhood sexual abuse and would allow victims to seek justice that they have been denied; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls on the New York State Senate to pass S.4614-A, which would help protect children from sexual predators.


WJH

LS# 4322

2/20/08