When Attorney General Andrea Campbell released a scathing report last week detailing the scope of child sexual abuse across three Catholic dioceses, it sparked new urgency behind a long-running legislative push.
A reform passed 12 years ago gave survivors of childhood sex abuse a longer window to file lawsuits, changing the cutoff from the time they turn 21 to 53. A key to getting that law passed, legislators said at the time, was a “change in attitude” from the Catholic Archdiocese of Boston as the church had fought similar efforts in other states.
"We were really on the cutting edge two decades ago, but we began to stagnate every year since that initial reform happened in 2014," said Jetta Bernier, executive director of the organization Enough Abuse.
Bernier said 19 states have eliminated statutes of limitations for some or all civil child sex abuse claims since then, with others taking actions allowing expired claims to be revived.
Sen. Joan Lovely, who was abused by an uncle as a child, has said she started questioning back in 2014 what made age 53 the “magic number” and couldn’t find an answer. Lovely has been filing bills for years that would outright remove the statute of limitations. The Senate passed one on the final day of formal sessions in 2024, but it didn’t make it over the finish line.
This year, survivors and advocates with groups like Enough Abuse have been urging lawmakers to scrap the civil statute of limitations, a policy change now wrapped up in a primary care overhaul being negotiated by a House-Senate conference committee. Rep. John Lawn, who publicly spoke out about his childhood abuse this spring in a Boston Globe op-ed, sponsored an amendment adding the measure to the House version of the bill.
New numbers out Thursday from the MassINC Polling Group show voters overwhelmingly in support. Eighty-four percent of registered voters surveyed in September said they strongly or somewhat support removing the statute of limitations for civil lawsuits involving sexual abuse of children. Two-thirds said addressing the issue should be a high priority for lawmakers.
The real question, since the House already voted to make the change, is whether Gov. Maura Healey and the Senate would be on board. Healey, asked by WCVB last week, didn’t say whether she’d sign the legislation if it gets to her.
But Lovely, who’s not on the conference committee, suggested that 2024 Senate vote could be an important clue to how the idea fares this year.
“I’m feeling confident that the Senate will support it again,” the Salem Democrat said.
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HAPPENING TODAY
7:45 | Gov. Healey and Mayor Wu speak at the El Mundo Hispanic Heritage Month Breakfast | Hilton Boston Park Plaza, 50 Park Plaza, Boston
9:00 | Supreme Judicial Court hears arguments in four cases, including whether the Superior Court erred in requiring an insurer to pay over $50 million in restitution and over $115 million in civil penalties | John Adams Courthouse, Room 1, 1 Pemberton Square, Boston | More Info and Livestream
11:00 | GBH News' Boston Public Radio hosts a debate on Question 9, featuring Mass. Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence CEO Ruth Zakarin and Cape Gun Works co-founder Toby Leary | GBH Studio, Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston St., Boston | gbhnews.org and 89.7
11:00 | Mayor Wu, Boston EMS and the Boston Public Health Commission hold a ceremony to celebrate new EMTs and recognize recent promotions, Great Hall, Faneuil Hall, Boston
12:30 | Lt. Gov. Driscoll gives the keynote address at the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce Game Changers Business Conference and Expo | Mechanics Hall, 321Main St, Worcester
5:00 | Mayor Wu delivers remarks at City of Boston’s annual Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration | City Hall Plaza, 1 City Hall Sq., Boston
JOB BOARD
Deputy Sewer Director — NEW, Town of Nantucket
Communications & Community Engagement Manager — NEW, City of Chelsea
Chief Financial Officer, Cooperative for Human Services Inc
Justice Geraldine S. Hines Legal Fellowship, Massachusetts Office of the Inspector General
Senior Transportation Engineer, City of Newton
Financial Investigator III, Mass Gaming Commission
Vice President of Administration and Finance, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
Government Relations Officer, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
1099 Admin Hourly, Shepherd Strategies
Job board continues below the fold — post a job
MA voters support stronger AI safety: AI safety requires transparency and accountability. A new poll shows that 75% of Massachusetts voters support requiring the largest AI companies to publish safety plans, report serious incidents, and face penalties for non-compliance. — See the poll.
ON BEACON HILL
GUV’S RECORD VS. TRUMP TIES: In a testy first debate, Gov. Maura Healey repeatedly sought to link challenger Mike Minogue to President Trump while Minogue called for her to answer for the high costs plaguing residents. | CommonWealth Beacon
STATE OF THE RACE: UMass Boston political scientist Erin O'Brien calls the governor's race is "more competitive than outsiders would believe," though she and other experts see a pivot away from President Trump as key to Mike Minogue's chances. | GBH News
HOLD THE PHONE: The state's 2019 distracted driving law bans holding a phone behind the wheel, but not recording video from a mounted cellphone. Some lawmakers are eyeing an update that would also restrict motorists from activities like FaceTime or Zoom. | State House News Service (gift link)
BLUNT ASSESSMENT: A leader of the Virginia-based Smart Approaches to Marijuana, which is bankrolling Question 8, says the anti-drug group invested in the marijuana repeal effort knowing it might not pass but hoping to force a conversation.| NEPM
NEWS NEXT DOOR
SAY CHEESE: Taking advantage of a state law passed last year, Boston plans to put cameras on its school buses to catch drivers who illegally pass the buses when their stop signs are out. The drivers would eventually face fines. | Boston Globe
BEACHED: More than two acres of Cambridge's Magazine Beach would be fenced off under a Massachusetts Water Resources Authority plan to build a new stormwater tank that could help prevent combined sewer overflows. Rep. Mike Connolly calls the proposal, which would need legislative approval, dead on arrival. | Cambridge Somerville Independent
CHARGED UP: A proposed Eversource substation in Falmouth, meant to reduce power outage risks, is drawing pushback from neighbors who wonder why the utility wants to build on the part of the property closest to their houses. | Boston 25
CHATBOTS IN COURT: A new bill from Congresswoman Lori Trahan would let people and businesses sue AI developers if they're harmed by an artificial intelligence platform or agent. | Eagle-Tribune
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MORE HEADLINES
THE SUNDAY SHOWS
KELLER AT LARGE: 8:30 a.m., WBZ-TV. Political analyst Jon Keller recaps Thursday’s gubernatorial debate with The Boston Globe’s Samantha Gross and MASSterList editor Katie Lannan.
@ ISSUE: 9:30 a.m., NBC 10. Reporter Matt Prichard’s guest is Republican candidate for governor Mike Minogue.
ON THE RECORD: 11 a.m., WCVB. NewsCenter 5’s Sharman Sacchetti and Ben Simmoneau sit down with Micah Jones, Republican candidate in the Sixth Congressional District. Democratic political analyst Mary Anne Marsh and Republican political analyst Rob Gray join for a roundtable discussion.
JOB BOARD
Assistant Attorney General, Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General
Lead Organizer / Civic Engagement Coordinator, Mass Alliance of HUD Tenants
Deputy General Counsel, Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities
Vice President of Membership and Engagement, Association of Developmental Disabilities Providers
Staff Attorney, Disability Law Center
Chief Financial Officer, Boston Public Health Commission
Financial Investigations Manager, Mass Gaming Commission
Behavioral Health Coordinator, For Kids Only Afterschool
Assistant Secretary / MEPA Director, Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
Director, Finance & Accounting, AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod
Director of Grants Development, Boston Public Health Commission
Chief Procurement Officer, Barnstable County
Deputy Comptroller, City of Newton
