McEntee “Very Positive” on Extending Statute of Limitations on Sex Abuse Prosecution in RI

McEntee “Very Positive” on Extending Statute of Limitations on Sex Abuse Prosecution in RI

Representative Carol Hagan McEntee joined GoLocal News Editor at the Rhode Island State House where she spoke to the prospects during the 2019 General Assembly session of extending the statute of limitations on sex crimes. 

“There’s been a response from the church that the bill is unconstitutional, and won’t help victims, or healing,” said McEntee. “I totally disagree and what we’re doing is setting procedural guidelines — increasing the statue of limitations to 35 years for childhood sexual abuse, with a seven-year ‘look-back’ for when you knew or should have known or for repressed memory, an we also have a window of three years for those persons who are already time-barred because of the statue of limitations.”

“I have 58 cosponsors out of 75 and in the Senate, there’s 29 out of 38 I think,” said McEntee. “So I think that’s a mandate from both the House and the Senate and in my view, it will pass.  It would be an absolute disgrace to do nothing if we did nothing in light of everything we know.”