The Waltham News Tribune? reported on the legal victory of Waltham native Rosanne Sliney, who won her “fight against child sex abuse laws last week when the Massachusetts Supreme Court reaffirmed a 2014 law? extending the statute of limitations for lawsuits filed by victims of child sex abuse.” Rosanne shared her story at a press conference held at the office of her attorney Carmen Durso. Anne Johnson Landry, Senator Brownsberger’s Committee Counsel and Policy Advisor, attended and shared, “Rosanne’s story was really compelling and I think spoke to the need for reform in a way that showed that the three year statute of limitation just didn’t make any sense.” Senator Brownsberger was a one of the co-authors of the legislation.
Press Clippings
22news wwlp, belmont citizen herald, belmont media center, boston business journal, boston globe, boston herald, boston magazine, bostoninno, brockton enterprise, cape cod times, commonwealth magazine, fox 25, massachusetts lawyers weekly, masslive, necn, taunton daily gazette, the daily free press, the heights, the lowell sun, universal hub, waltham news tribune, watertown tab, wbur, wbzradio 1030, wcvb, western mass news, wgbh, worcester telegram and gazette, wrko am680
SJC upholds time limit expansion in civil sex abuse cases
The Boston Globe reports on the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court’s (SJC) decision to uphold a 2014 law extending the statute of limitations on civil cases of child sexual abuse to 35 years and makes it retroactive. This was legislation that Senator Brownsberger long worked on. You can read the SJC decision here.
Belmont legislators and stakeholders weigh in on Gov. Baker’s opioid bill
The Belmont Citizen-Herald asked Senator Brownsberger about his stance on “One of the more controversial components of the bill would expand the state’s civil commitment laws by allowing doctors to involuntarily commit drug addicts for up to 72 hours without a court order.” Senator Brownsberger replied, “I am not sure it (the 72-hour hold provision) translates so readily into the opioid context.” And he added, “I am giving it a lot of study over the next few weeks. I am pleased to see the governor has some great people working on this issue.”
Chabot: Gov. Charlie Baker ripped over rehirees
Senator Brownsberger commented for the Boston Herald? on the rehiring of 70 MassDOT employees after they participated in the early retirement program. “When you really do the math and you factor in the true value of the increased pension benefits, it works out to a $90,000 gift to each person retiring,” said state Sen. William N. Brownsberger (D-Belmont), referring to the bump-up in pension benefits that were awarded to get people to accept early retirement. He added that refilling those jobs defeated the purpose. “The savings only happens if you keep the person off the payroll. So, to the extent that people are coming back, the economics looks worse.”
Lawmakers urged to protect children from sexual abuse by educators
WCVB reports??? on legislation (S.868? and S.869?) before the Joint Committee on The Judiciary regarding the of the age of consent for sexual relations. Senator Brownsberger said “We take it very seriously when people in positions of authority abuse that authority. So I am very hopeful we can make appropriate changes along the lines suggested by these bills.”
Boston’s Effort to Extend Last Call Hits Snag
Boston Magazine? reports that “State Sen. William Brownsberger wants the legislature to not act on his bill and instead reset the effort on giving cities and towns the authority to set their own last call hours with a more local focus.”