OCEAN TOWNSHIP - Senate Majority Conference Leader Vin Gopal issued the following statement in response to the Senate Judiciary Committee’s release of Senate Bill S477, which removes the statute of limitations in certain civil actions for sexual abuse and expands the categories of defendants liable in such actions.

“Sexual abuse ruins lives, but many child predators are able to go unpunished for their crime because of a loophole in our state's judicial system,” said Senator Gopal. “This is more than unacceptable - it is horrific.

“I am proud to stand with my colleagues on the Senate Judiciary committee in applauding the advancement of Senate Bill S477, which will expand the civil statute of limitations for victims of child sex abuse. It is long past time that we stood up for victims and made criminals accountable for their actions.”