AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Survivor Coalition, a group of sexual assault survivors and advocates, will be at the Capitol Wednesday to protest a bill they say will make it harder for survivors of child sexual abuse to seek justice.
House Bill 4601, filed by State Rep. Jeff Leach, would change the statute of limitations in child sex abuse cases from 30 years to 15 years for institutional defendants and would require an increased burden of proof for non-perpetrator defendants.
At the rally Wednesday, survivors and advocates plan to share how they believe this law would "place the reputation and financial interests of institutions over the safety of children in Texas," the Texas Survivor Coalition said in a press release.
KVUE has reached out to Leach's office to learn more about his reasoning for filing HB 4601.
The Texas Survivor Coalition also plans to discuss why they believe statute of limitations reform in Texas is necessary, as well as communicate their support for legislation such as House Bill 206, Senate Bill 751 and House Bill 3533, which aim to eliminate the statute of limitations for these types of cases.
Among those expected at Wednesday's rally are two survivors of child sexual abuse; a victims' rights attorney and advocate for sexual abuse survivors; and representatives from the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse (SCSA) and Speak Out to Stop Child Sexual Abuse (SOSCSA).
The rally will be held on the Capitol's south steps starting at 11 a.m. Wednesday.