Pennsylvania Senate Oks Increase in Statute of Limitations in Child Sex Abuse Cases

By Kevin Zwick
The Tribune-Review
February 1, 2017

http://triblive.com/state/pennsylvania/11877549-74/victims-abuse-senate

The Pennsylvania Senate unanimously approved a bill Wednesday to reform the statute of limitations for child sex abuse cases.

The bill could reignite tensions between the House and Senate in the new session. The two chambers disagreed on similar legislation last year.

The new bill would give prosecutors more time to file criminal charges against an alleged abuser. Current law prohibits criminal charges once the victim reaches 50 years old.

Individuals also would have more time to file civil lawsuits against an alleged defendant, co-conspirator or anyone who failed to report child sex abuse, and reduces the legal threshold to sue a public institution from gross negligence to negligence. Current law gives victims until the age of 30 to file a lawsuit.

The legislation does not contain controversial language sought by victim advocates to allow individuals to file civil lawsuits for decades after the statute of limitations has run out. The legislation applies to future victims.

“We're hopeful that the House will take it under careful consideration,” said Jennifer Kocher, spokeswoman for Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman, R-Centre. “We could move something forward for survivors of child sex abuse rather than offer them nothing.”

House GOP spokesman Steve Miskin said the House will try to reach a consensus between the two chambers to “send a very strong bill with a strong message for victims to the governor.”

The House approved the retroactive language last year, but the Senate removed it amid constitutional concerns and an intense lobbying effort from the insurance industry and Pennsylvania Catholic Conference. Victim advocates say it could take victims decades to come to terms with their abuse, and the retroactive language would offer older victims a path to relief.

Reform efforts were boosted after last year's highly publicized release of a grand jury report regarding the Johnstown-Altoona Roman Catholic Diocese. That report said nearly 50 priests molested hundreds of children over several decades in the diocese.

Kevin Zwick is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-850-2856 or kzwick@tribweb.com