Iowa lawmakers approve bill just in time to increase compensation for Boy Scout abuse victims

Iowa men who were victims of kid molestation portion they were successful the Boy Scouts of America could get higher ineligible compensation nether a measure approved by lawmakers and expected to beryllium signed by the governor, conscionable earlier the deadline to bash truthful volition expire

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Iowa men who were victims of kid intersexual molestation portion they were successful the Boy Scouts of America could get higher ineligible compensation nether a measure approved Friday by lawmakers and expected to beryllium signed by the governor, conscionable earlier the deadline to bash truthful volition expire.

The retroactive measure, which would waive the statute of limitations for victims filing a civilian assertion arsenic portion of the Boy Scouts of America bankruptcy settlement, would instrumentality effect aft Gov. Kim Reynolds signs it.

The Boy Scouts filed for bankruptcy extortion successful 2020 arsenic it faced hundreds of lawsuits filed by men alleging they had been sexually abused arsenic children by their Scout leaders and volunteers. A $2.46 cardinal bankruptcy reorganization program was approved successful 2022, aft much than 80,000 men filed claims nationwide.

A state’s statute of limitations could alteration the damages that victims receive, according to the fund's organisation procedures. Under the colony terms, states had until Friday to widen their statutes of limitations.

“We are facing a timepiece that is ticking to guarantee that they volition not beryllium financially penalized due to the fact that their maltreatment occurred wrong the borders of our state,” Sen. Janet Petersen, a Democrat, said Wednesday.

Iowa instrumentality requires victims of kid intersexual maltreatment to record claims by property 19 or, if older, wrong 4 years of realizing a sustained wounded was caused by the abuse. The caller measurement — which applies lone to the lawsuit against the Boy Scouts of America — allows victims wrong the Scouts to question ineligible enactment astatine immoderate time.

It's unclear however galore Iowa victims whitethorn present record caller claims by the May 31 deadline.

Reynolds' spokesperson indicated the politician would motion the measure if it reached her desk.