PENNSYLVANIA
Philly.com
OCTOBER 25, 2016
by Maria Panaritis and Karen Langley, HARRISBURG BUREAU
HARRISBURG – A controversial proposal to extend the civil statute of limitations for child sex-abuse victims appeared to collapse Tuesday, after supporters said the House was unlikely to move an amended version of the bill or reintroduce the original measure.
With little chance of its passing, they said, they will try to revive it when the Assembly reconvenes next year.
“The process is over at this point,” said Rep. Mark Rozzi (D., Berks), a clergy-abuse victim who had been the bill’s fiercest advocate.
Both the GOP-controlled House and Senate had supported expanding victims’ rights to sue, but split sharply on whether those rights should be applied retroactively for victims abused decades ago.
The House approved such a provision, but the Senate, after fierce lobbying from the insurance industry and the Catholic Church, removed it from the bill this summer and sent it back to the House.
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