BUFFALO N.Y. (WBEN) - New York now has a completely Democratic-controlled government as the state senate turned into a blue majority after November's elections.
One of the pieces of legislation that could come from this development according to advocates and state lawmakers is the Child Victim's Act, which certainly hits home in Buffalo following a tumultuous year in the Catholic Diocese.
"Western New York, Buffalo, you're very familiar with the issue of priests in the allegation of priests abusing children. This is gone on for literally decades and it has been unresolved," said Governor Andrew Cuomo. He has supported this measure, which has been backed by the Democratic-controlled assembly, but was repeatedly blocked by the Republican-led senate.
Essentially the Child Victim's Act aims to eliminate the statutes of limitation for prosecuting child sexual abuse crimes and filing civil lawsuits for damages related to that abuse. Of course it has the full support of local advocates.
"The only thing the victims have wanted is justice and that has been denied victims for years," said Robert Hoatson. He has been very active in helping local victims of clergy abuse as well as a main advocate for Bishop Richard Malone's resignation.
Cuomo said the Child Victim's Act can help provide some of that recognition.
"I talked to people who are 40, 50, 60 years old who still say there's no closure for me (the victims). I feel that justice wasn't done, I feel that I'm still being denied the recognition of the situation and that is important for them to get on with their lives and be part of the healing process to have a recognition that this was wrong."
