COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio General Assembly is currently considering several pieces of legislation aimed at removing the statute of limitations for most sex crimes. One of these bills, H.B. 124, seeks to effectively eliminate time limits for both civil and criminal cases related to sexual abuse. Another bipartisan bill, H.B. 35, sponsored by Republican Representative Bill Seitz and Democratic Representative Jessica Miranda, proposes changes to laws related to childhood sexual abuse and sex offender classifications.
Under the Scouts Honor Law, one of the changes included is the elimination of a 12-year time limit for victims of childhood sexual abuse to make claims against a bankruptcy estate. Another change allows wrongly classified sex offenders to have a court hearing to determine their correct classification and provides credit for time spent complying with registration and verification duties. Additionally, the act requires courts to determine the appropriate classification for offenders convicted of sexually oriented offenses committed before January 1, 2008.
On February 28, Scott Porter, and others from Chillicothe testified before the committee and shared their stories of abuse at the hands of child predator and Chillicothe business mogul Bill McKell. Porter described a Boy Scout troop with suspicious adult leadership, out-of-court settlements, and rumors of inappropriate behavior. Despite decades of red flags, no action was taken against McKell until 2020 when several victims came forward.
Ohio law currently limits the ability of victims to seek damages due to restrictive laws. Porter and other Ohio victims seek changes to these laws through H.B. 35, urging the legislature to support the Scouts Honor Law to give survivors the opportunity to receive all they’re eligible for.
The case of Bill McKell shocked and horrified many in the Chillicothe community. In 2020, McKell gave an online statement that was eventually taken down, in which he confessed to his crimes. However, Ohio’s statute of limitations prevents him from facing legal consequences.
Bill McKell Online Confession:
Ohio Attorney Dave Yost has called for the statute of limitations for rape to be eliminated, stating that victims deserve the chance to face their abusers in a court of law.
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