Pennsylvania lawmakers return, but not to debate over clergy abuse bill

Associated Press
January 28, 2019

https://bit.ly/2sTghMc

Lawmakers are returning to the Pennsylvania Capitol, but they haven't revisited a response to child sexual abuse scandals since the debate's collapse on last year's final voting day.

The Legislature's new two-year session begins in earnest Monday, with little mention of legislation reflecting the state attorney general's grand jury report on child sexual abuse in Pennsylvania's Roman Catholic dioceses.

Legislation proposed last year would give now-adult victims of child sexual abuse a two-year reprieve from time limits in state law that otherwise would bar them from suing perpetrators and institutions that covered it up.

The provision was recommended by the grand jury, and backed by Attorney General Josh Shapiro, Gov. Tom Wolf, the House of Representatives, Senate Democratic leaders and victim advocates. It was opposed by Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati and the Senate’s huge Republican majority.

The provision passed the House overwhelmingly last month, but Republican senators said they considered it unconstitutional and warned that cash awards in such lawsuits carried serious consequences for church charities.

Scarnati says he has no plans to restart legislation and is satisfied by how Pennsylvania’s dioceses have moved to set up victim compensation funds.

That includes the Allentown diocese, which administers to 251,000 Catholics in a five-county area that includes the entire Lehigh Valley. Under the Allentown fund, victims will give up their right to sue the church, but they will not be silenced if they accept money from the fund.

House Majority Leader Bryan Cutler says he’s been discussing new legislation.