State Sen. Mae Flexer, D-Killingly, has expressed frustration over her party's continued refusal to consider her bill that would temporarily lift the statute of limitations for sexual assault victims to file lawsuits, regardless of their age.

This is the third year in a row the Judiciary Committee has refused to consider a bill that would create a window of time for victims of any age to file lawsuits. Such a law would likely expose the state's Catholic dioceses to more lawsuits by people who say they were sexually assaulted by clergy and possibly jeopardizing their financial stability. 

"We've heard the same excuses for the past two years," Flexer said. "First it was a short session and then COVID last year, but a lot still got done. Others states have done this, and the sky is not falling."

Flexer said Friday she was not aware the bill would be sidelined again until The Day reported comments from the committee's Democratic co-chair, Steve Stafstrom, D-Bridgeport, last week in which he said he did not expect the bill to be raised because there were only six or seven hearing days of public hearings and other bills had been around longer and were better fleshed out. He added that there was no "unanimity" about the language of the bill and that that while he supported allowing victims to sue their attackers, he had reservations about suing organizations because the passage of time may make it difficult to produce witnesses and evidence.   

"The forces who want to kill this bill have done a lot to undermine my leadership in other ways," Flexer said. "All I can assume is that they are worried about the consequences for entities, individuals and organizations."

In 2019, Flexer successfully convinced the committee to hold a hearing on a similar bill. During that hearing, victims and their advocates testified, often emotionally, in support of the bill. One of those was Tim McGuire of New London, who discussed how being sexually assaulted by a Catholic priest in Noank when he was 8 years old had affected his life. Now 63, he has been working to eliminate the statute of limitations so he and other older victims can file lawsuits against the church.

In 2019, the provision to create a window for victims of all ages to sue was stripped from a larger sexual assault and harassment bill that was eventually passed and that in part increased the age to sue from 48 to 51 and eliminated the statute of limitations for criminal prosecution of sexual assault.

It also established a committee headed by Flexer that studied the issue and recommended changes in 2020 such as establishing a window of time for victims of any age to sue as other states such as New York have done. An expert who testified before the committee said research shows the average age a person reveals childhood sexual abuse is 52, one year beyond the current statute of limitations. 

Asked what else she could do to ensure the bill comes up in the longer 2023 session, Flexer said she was not sure but said she would continue her efforts to get it passed.

"I want to express my empathy for the survivors, particularly those who have fought so hard for this. I'm sorry there have been people who have effectively stopped this year after year," she said. 

As for bills the committee is expected to consider this session, reforms of state juvenile justice laws and police accountability law are expected to get a hearing. On the list of bills scheduled to get a hearing March 4 are ones that would make cemeteries that receive public funds subject to freedom of information laws, make forgery of a vaccination card a crime and increase fees for state marshals and not disclose their addresses.       

A conflict of interest?

McGuire, who has worked to get the bill passed, picketed in front of area churches and filed a claim in the Diocese of Norwich's ongoing bankruptcy action, expressed frustration Sunday the bill would again not be moving forward.

He also questioned why Stafstrom, who serves as a trustee at St. Ann Catholic Church in Bridgeport, is in the position of deciding whether the bill gets heard or not. During the 2019 hearing, a woman testified that when she was 8 years old, she was raped at home and at school by a priest at St. Ann Church. A report commissioned by the Diocese of Bridgeport found credible allegations of sexual assault involving minors against four former priests assigned to St. Ann.  

"How can that not be conflict of interest? It's so blatant, it's ridiculous," alleged McGuire, who said he has called Stafstrom on repeated occasions and never received a return call.

"This is where the system is broken. He should recuse himself. It's the right thing to do," added McGuire.

Asked if Stafstrom has a conflict, Flexer demurred. 

"As an actual practicing Catholic I don't believe our faith should get in the way of making a policy change. Your Catholic faith should make you want to make a change. If we don't stand up for abused children, who do we stand up for?" she asked.

On Sunday Stafstrom stressed he is an unpaid volunteer with his church.

"It's an asinine suggestion that an unpaid volunteer of any organization somehow has a conflict of interest," he said. "It's insulting.'' 

Stafstrom said it would be inappropriate for him to recuse himself as he has no personal financial interest in the bill, which is prohibited by state ethics rules. He pointed out that he successfully blocked Republican opposition to the 2019 law that increased the statute of limitations to 51 and formed Flexer's committee. He also said that as part-time lawmaker, he and many other legislators are active in their communities, volunteering with different groups. 

Stafstrom also explained that other committee leaders help decide if the bill gets heard and not just himself. When asked for the names of those legislators, Stafstrom would not name them, repeatedly saying it's the leadership. 

j.wojtas@theday.com