I received the following email several times last night and thisearly this morning. It appears to originate in Assemblywoman MArge Markey's office. Markey is the chief sponsor of the CVA:
Today It’s Urgent You Ask Governor Patterson to Place the
NY Child Victims Act on Legislature’s Nov. 10th Session Agenda
The State Legislature will meet in Extraordinary Session on Tuesday, November 10th to deal with the state’s budget problems and other matters.The addition of the Child Victims’ Act of New York to the agenda for that day is being considered by the Governor’s staff and a decision is expected sometime on Monday, November 9th. Your voice right now can help make it happen and it is important that you communicate your support immediately to the Governor’s staff.
Thanks to a vigorous information campaign, postcards to individual legislators and thousands of signatures over the past few months to an on-line petition created by supporters, the Child Victims Act now has the support of a majority of Assemblymembers and State Senators. The Governor has indicated he is prepared to sign the bill when it is adopted by the Legislature.
There’s been a five year struggle in the Legislature to enact CVA to get justice for victims of childhood sexual abuse and expose pedophiles who continue to prey on children. Now, it can happen on Tuesday, November 10th, if the Governor acts.
To add your voice to the many others who are reaching out to the Governor right now, please send your email message immediately to:
If you represent an organization, please identify yourself and send a brief email message to Howie Katz of the Governor’s legal staff.
If you are a concerned individual, please log on to the Governor’s official email contact website and follow the directions to send a brief email message.
Your voice can make a difference. It is important that you write immediately to ask the Governor to add CVA to the agenda for November 10th.See below for a brief suggested message.
Thank you for your help.
SUGGESTED EMAIL MESSAGE, OR WRITE YOUR OWN – BE
SURE TO INDICATE YOUR ORGANIZATIONAL CONNECTION, IF ANYDear Governor Patterson:
Please add the Child Victims Act of New York to your agenda for the November 10th Extraordinary Session of the State Legislature.
The Child Victims Act will bring justice to past victims of childhood sexual abuse and identify sexual predators who are preying on children right now.
Over the past few months, many thousands of New Yorkers have sent postcards and on-line petition messages to Legislative members and their leadership. Assemblywoman Margaret Markey and Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson, the sponsors of CVA have a majority of members in each of their houses prepared to vote for the bill if you place it on the agenda.
There is strong and diverse support for this bill and you have an opportunity to give abuse victims a voice and expose active sexual predators and those who help hide them. I am writing to respectfully request that you add the Child Victims Act of New York to the Tuesday, November 10 agenda.
Thank you.
Signature/ (please include organizational identification and/or town or city of residence).