On February 14, 2019,
history was made with the
signing into law by Governor
Andrew Cuomo of the
“Child Victim’s Act.” This
Act will ensure that those
who abuse children are held
accountable criminally and
civilly for their wrongdoing.
In addition, this new
statue creates a path to justice
for victims. The bill
extends the civil statute of
limitations to allow civil
actions to be brought until
a victim’s 55th birthday for
child sexual abuse which occurred
before age 18. A one
year window has been created
for adult survivors to
commence civil actions for
damages which under current
law are barred because
of the statute of limitations.
This one year window will
begin on August 14, 2019 so
victims up until their 55th
birthday can bring civil
lawsuits against individuals
or public and private
institutions from churches
to public school districts for
child sexual abuse that they
may have suffered many decades
ago.
The Legislature also removes
the current Notice
of Claim requirements for
public entities in cases involving
child sexual abuse
so a Notice of Intention to
make claim against municipalities
within 90 days is not
required in order to bring a
lawsuit.
Sexual abuse against a
child is a shameful unforgivable
act. It is a traumatizing
experience that can
take a lifetime to come to
terms with. While this new
law cannot erase what happened
to victims, it will give
victims an opportunity to
recover damages in a Court
of Law for what happened to
them.
While the one year window
to bring a legal action
will not begin August 14,
2019, victims should consult
an attorney as soon as possible
to begin the painful
and arduous task of their
gathering medical records
and other evidence of their
victimization.
Governor Cuomo and the
state Legislature are to be
commended for making the
“Child Victim’s Act” a reality.
Transportation
A map showing the route of the proposed Select Bus Service for the
14th St. crosstown that was recently put out by the M.T.A. on an e-mail
blast.
‘Busway,’ no way; SBS, yes
BY RICO BURNEY
Fourteenth St. won’t be getting a nocars
“busway” — but apparently
will be getting Select Bus Service.
On Wed., Feb. 20, the Metropolitan
Transportation Authority presented its
preliminary proposal for permanent M14
Select Bus Service a.k.a. SBS on 14th St.
According to people present at the
meeting, the M.T.A. pitch was light on
specifi cs, but appears much less dramatic
than the plans for the busway, which
would have barred most private vehicles
from using the street during most hours
of the day.
The busway was part of the city’s socalled
“alternative service plan” to help
mitigate the impact of a full shutdown
of the L train for needed repairs to its
East River tubes. Following Governor
Cuomo’s intervention earlier this year,
however, the full-shutdown scheme has
been replaced by a less-intensive “slowdown,”
under which the L tunnel will be
repaired on weeknights and weekends,
with one tube always remaining open for
service.
Currently, the new planned SBS route
calls for fewer stops by the M14, particularly
in the East Village and Lower East
Side, as well as off-board ticketing. The
M.T.A. has not decided yet whether it
will eliminate current M14A and M14D
service following SBS implementation.
But, offi cials at the meeting said the authority
was “open” to that idea.
The street-design question went mostly
unaddressed due to it being a presentation
by the M.T.A., not the Department
of Transportation.
Supporters of either a busway or dedicated
bus lanes on 14th St. note that the
Riders Alliance ranked the M14, which
reportedly travels at an average speed of
4 mph, as one of the city’s slowest buses.
“I support a dedicated SBS lane on
14th St., with physical barriers that
would exclude other vehicles except
emergency vehicles,” state Senator Brad
Hoylman told this paper on Fri., Feb. 22.
Hoylman argued this is needed because,
“between the L train and buses, 80,000
people travel across 14th St. each day.
That’s more than the entire population
served by mass transit in some major
American cities.”
The same day as the M.T.A. meeting,
Transportation Alternatives activists
and other advocacy groups held a “race”
against the M14: They walked alongside
the bus to show it’s sometimes quicker
than the bus, and show the need for
restricting other traffi c on 14th St. The
activists lost by fi ve seconds in the race
from Avenue A to Union Square.
But residents like Judy Pesin, of the
14th St. Coalition, the busway’s most vocal
opponent, argue that restricting traffi
c in any way along 14th St. would negatively
impact local residents throughout
the area.
“As long as the street maintains its
original four lanes — which continues
to be a priority for us — we support
improved service across 14th St. and
will welcome the SBS service with its
off-board ticketing,” Pesin said of the
M.T.A.’s presentation.
D.O.T. has yet to say whether it will
install a dedicated bus lane for the new
service. However, street markings already
added for the anticipated busway
remain.
Schneps Media TVG February 28, 2019 11