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After Hastert, Illinois pushes for change to child abuse law

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 t...
Dennis Hastert

CHICAGO (AP) — 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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