Support House Bill 1657. Democratic Sens. Lisa Brown, Senate majority leader, and Jim Hargrove, chairman of the Human Services and Corrections Committee, are denying this bill a hearing. They hold the power to allow a hearing in the Senate. The House passed the bill 98-0.

By not holding a hearing, these senators are taking a stand. That is a stand in not protecting the children in the state of Washington. They are blatantly saying they will protect child rapists.

Simply, this bill is requesting that time be allowed. Child victims who have been raped and sodomized are well into adulthood before they are able to come forward and report these horrors. Other states have ratified their archaic, arbitrary statute of limitation laws to be in line with the 21st century.

Testimony regarding the debilitating and devastating effects that abuse has on victims’ lives is given. This bill is not lessening the burden of proof for cases to be successfully prosecuted.

Wake up, residents of Washington state. Is this a bipartisan issue? Our laws need to protect children, and legislators who won’t should not be in positions of power.

Molly Harding

Founder, Spokane SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests) Chapter

Spokane