PENNSYLVANIA
Houston Chronicle
Mark Scolforo, Associated Press Tuesday, April 12, 2016
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania lawmakers voted Tuesday to give victims of child sexual abuse more time to sue and more time for prosecutors to bring charges against perpetrators.
The state House voted 180-15 to approve a bill that changes the age limit from 30 to 50 for people who were abused as children to bring civil lawsuits.
It applies retroactively so that past abuse victims can sue. It would also prevent organizations from claiming immunity from lawsuits when they have acted with gross negligence.
The proposal also would eliminate the statute of limitations in future criminal cases for a list of more severe crimes that involve child victims. That provision is not retroactive.
The vote followed an emotional floor speech by Rep. Mark Rozzi, D-Berks, who described in detail his own abuse as a child through his Catholic church.
“All I want is justice,” Rozzi said. “I want justice for all my friends who have been sexually abused. They knew what they did — they covered it up. And now they need to be held accountable. That’s the bottom line.”
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