Rozzi’s Sexual Abuse Bill Clears House Panel

By Liam Migdail-Smith
Reading Eagle
April 5, 2017

http://www.readingeagle.com/news/article/rozzis-sexual-abuse-bill-clears-house-panel#.WOVDvPnyi00

Reading Eagle: Bill Uhrich | State Rep. Mark Rozzi, D-Muhlenberg Township

A state House panel advanced a measure Tuesday that would give victims of child sexual abuse more time to press charges or sue.

But the measure - as written now - stops short of doing what many victims and their advocates have called for: Giving victims for whom the limits have already expired a chance to file lawsuits.

Tuesday's vote by the House Judiciary Committee forwards the bill to the full chamber for consideration, which will likely happen later this month. The plan cleared the Senate earlier this year.

State Rep. Mark Rozzi, a Muhlenberg Township Democrat who's pushed to overhaul the limits, said he plans to amend the bill on the House floor to include a retroactive provision that would allow victims to sue regardless of when they were abused.

That's the route he took with a similar measure last year that cleared the House 180-15. Rozzi said he expects the House would show similar support for a retroactive element this session.