Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

After Hastert, Illinois pushes for change to child abuse law

Hastert

Charles Rex Arbogast / AP

Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert departs the federal courthouse Wednesday, April 27, 2016, in Chicago, after his sentencing on federal banking charges which he pled guilty to last year. Hastert was sentenced to more than a year in prison in the hush-money case that included accusations he sexually abused teenagers while coaching high school wrestling.

CHICAGO — The attorney general for Illinois is calling on state lawmakers to pass legislation removing statutes of limitations for child sex abuse crimes in response to the case against former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert.

Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office says state lawmakers have four similar proposals pending on the matter. The soonest any one could be taken up is next month during lawmakers' brief fall session.

Madigan will speak about the proposals Tuesday, along with Scott Cross, who says Hastert abused him when Cross was a high school wrestler.

Hastert was charged with violating banking laws while trying to silence one of his victims but the statute of limitations prevented prosecutors from charging him with sex abuse.

About 30 states have no statues of limitations on child sex abuse cases.

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