Another round of hugs was exchanged among victims of sexual assault on Monday after A-3648, the bill removing the statute of limitations for civil suits alleging certain sexual offenses, cleared the Assembly Judiciary Committee by a 4-0-2 vote.

The Assembly bill's approval came in shortly before 4 p.m. after three hours of testimony—taking up just over half the time and number of victims at the Senate Judiciary Committee's prolonged hearing last Thursday on the Senate version, S-477. At that hearing, close to four dozen victims testified.

Committee members voting “yes” on Monday were: Chairwoman Annette Quijano (D-Union), Vice chair Carol Murphy (D-Burlington), Gordon Johnson (D-Bergen) and William Spearman (D-Camden).