“I want to recognize the bravery of every survivor who has come forward to make his or her voice heard. As difficult as their experiences were to relive and tell, their stories shed much needed light on a dark truth that has deeply burdened the lives of many children and their families. This week’s passage of the Child Victims Act is a direct result of the tireless advocacy and dedication of those survivors. Their bravery made this legislation possible. 

“Enacting the Child Victims Act is a historic first step in bringing abusers to justice and allowing survivors to obtain proper redress. However, it is just a first step, and I believe more needs to be done to protect children from future harm. We must examine where existing laws have fallen short and allowed abusers to thrive in secrecy.

“This session, I will be introducing legislation to address legal deficiencies that have allowed credible allegations of abuse to remain undetected. In particular, the legislation will expand mandatory reporting laws, so as to ensure those who become aware of the sexual assault or abuse of a child understand their legal obligation to report that abuse.”