Abuse victims could get more from Boy Scout settlement under bill headed to Indiana Senate floor

Several hundred abuse victims who are part of a large settlement with the Boy Scouts of America could get access to more money under a bill approved by a Senate committee Tuesday.

Under the settlement that stems from abuse claims that go back decades, victims can choose to get a small payment immediately; can go forward with individual claims; or get their payment amount determined by a system that takes into account several factors, one of which is whether the state statute of limitations has run out on their claims.

Mike Foust said Indiana’s strict statute of limitations means he and the other victims in the settlement could get 10 percent to 25 percent less than victims in other states.

“To these men and yes, to me personally, it will be like getting abused all over again,” Foust said. “It will hurt that much.”
 

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HB 1047 lifts the statute of limitations only for those victims in the settlement until 2025. A Senate committee unanimously advanced the measure to the full Senate.

HB 1407 also has provisions related to an expansion of Indiana's revenge pornography law, to cover AI-generated images and videos.
 

Brandon is our Statehouse bureau chief. Contact him at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.