HEAT ALERT

Air Quality Alert issued for Long Island, Heat Advisory in effect through Wednesday evening. Stay safe.

Boy Scouts hike membership fee, citing rising costs of liability insurance

It comes amid a wave of new sexual abuse lawsuits and allegations.

News 12 Staff

Nov 2, 2019, 9:13 PM

Updated 2,097 days ago

Share:

Boy Scout recruitment fees are on the rise, and the organization says it's to help pay for insurance costs.
The membership fees have doubled, from $30 to $60 per year. It comes amid a wave of new sexual abuse lawsuits and allegations.
Lee Nevo is a Cub Master in Massapequa and he says even though fees are increasing, he wants to ensure the public that Scout Masters go through a lot of protection training and background checks.
As News 12 reported Saturday, assistant scoutmaster Johnathon Spohrer, of North Bellmore, is accused of he sexually abusing a 12-year-old boy multiple times in 2018. The incidents allegedly took place during Boy Scout sanctioned retreats
The Boy Scouts of America didn't make a specific reference to sex abuse litigation, but the organization says the increase is because of the rising costs of liability insurance.
The increases could generate more than $60 million in additional funds in the coming year.