With only four more days left for California’s Governor Jerry Brown to act, the fate of the child sex abuse bill opposed by USA Swimming and the Catholic church remains unknown. SB 131, by Senator Jim Beall (D-San Jose), would create a one-year window for certain victims to sue institutions for protecting molesters that were under their employment or part of their membership. USA Swimming came under fire when it hired a lobbyist to advocate against the bill.
Brown’s deadline is Oct. 14, and he has not indicated his intentions regarding the legislation. California law states that if a bill is not vetoed outright, it automatically becomes law.
Promoting legislation that extends the statute of limitations for child-sex-abuse victims is a strategy used by victims advocates to stop those committing the crimes or those hindering investigations of alleged perpetrators.