PENNSYLVANIA
Daily Times
Retro or not retro.
No, we’re not talking about the latest fashion craze.
We’re talking about serious legislation that would change the way Pennsylvania deals with child sexual abuse.
Last spring the Pennsylvania House voted overwhelmingly 180-15 in favor of House Bill 1947. The measure would eliminate the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse cases, and also extend the window of opportunity for victims to file civil actions against their abusers.
Under current Pennsylvania law, victims have 12 years after they turn 18 to file a lawsuit against their abuser. In other words, to age 30. House Bill 1947 would extend that window another 32 years, to age 50.
But a controversial amendment to the legislation offered by Rep. Mark Rozzi, D-Berks County, would make that provision retroactive, meaning victims from as far back as the 1970s could still get their day in court today.
The retroactive language was bitterly opposed by the insurance industry, the National Catholic Conference and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Archbishop Charles J. Chaput sent a letter that was read in every parish in the archdiocese slamming the measure as no less than an attack on the church, warning of dire consequences if it became law, and urging parishioners to contact their state senators to oppose it when it came up in that chamber. They made the argument that the law unfairly targets private institutions – in other words the Catholic Church – as opposed to public organizations. Chaput warned of possible church closures, layoffs and cuts in social services should the measure become law.
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