By Marshall Griffin, KWMU
Jefferson City, MO – A bill designed to crack down on teachers who sexually assault students has passed the Missouri House.
The bill would remove the statute of limitations for sexual misconduct involving school personnel.
Under current law, the statute of limitations is 20 years after a victim turns 18 years old.
The bill was sponsored by State Representative Jane Cunningham (R, Chesterfield).
"What we found in working with the victims of sexual misconduct, it take them often times decades to deal with it and even tell anyone...I think it will satisfy that difficult situation those victims face," Cunningham said.
The bill would also require school superintendents to report allegations of sexual misconduct to the Department of Social Services within 24 hours of receiving them.
"We've got examples of educators who have jumped from one district to another (without telling their) future employer...and they can go 15 (to) 20 years with complaint after complaint, and the hiring district is in the dark and students become victims...it's just a situation we can't endure any longer," Cunningham said.
It passed on a largely bipartisan vote, and now heads to the Missouri Senate.
The bill was named for Amy Davis of Columbia. At a press conference three months ago, Davis, now age 40, talked about a relationship she had with a teacher when she was in middle school.
"What I wanted more than anything was an adult to notice how much I was struggling with the issues in my life, and I needed some guidance and some attention to get through it all...what I got was a selfish pedophile who saw me as an easy target...someone with low self-esteem who would be easily manipulated," Davis said.
Charges have not been filed against the teacher because Davis came forward after the statute of limitations expired.
As of last fall, the unnamed teacher was working in the Cape Girardeau school district.
A recent investigation by the Associated Press stated that 87 teachers in Missouri had lost their credentials between 2001 and 2005 due to sexual misconduct, making Missouri the 11th worst state in the nation for such instances.