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Survivor who helped draft the law says passage is like 'time travel'
Summary
Hannah Oppresto, who said a high-school band teacher groomed and sexually assaulted her, told lawmakers she drafted the proposal that became House File 3489 after county prosecutors declined charges. Oppresto credited law enforcement and bipartisan lawmakers for passage.
Hannah Oppresto described being groomed and sexually assaulted by her high-school band teacher and said county prosecutors declined to charge her case because of gaps in state law. "Then she grew up and was faced with the harsh reality of being told that charges for her case were being turned down due to gaps in the law," Oppresto said, explaining why she pursued legislative change.
Oppresto said she created a proposal to address those gaps and worked closely with Detective Chad Clawson and other stakeholders to get the bill enacted. "It feels like time travel. It feels like I went back to rescue little Hannah," Oppresto said, characterizing the law's passage as a personal and collective victory. She emphasized the bipartisan nature of the effort and the repeated testimony she shared to persuade lawmakers.
Oppresto told attendees she values the collaborative work between survivors, law enforcement and legislators and that the law's enactment is a measure of accountability and prevention for future students.
