MEDIA (PA)
Delaware County News Network
By Kathleen E. Carey
October 26, 2018
State Sens. Tom McGarrigle, R-26, of Springfield, Tom Killion, R-9, of Middletown and John Rafferty, R-44, Thursday called on their colleagues to reconvene in Harrisburg to vote on a two-year window to allow childhood sexual abuse survivors to file civil suits against their abusers.
Standing before the Delaware County Courthouse, McGarrigle and Rafferty joined state Reps. Alex Charlton, R-165 of Springfield, Chris Quinn R-168, of Middletown and Marguerite Quinn, R-143, of Bucks County, in voicing their support for the measure while a group of survivors stood across the street, shouting, saying the vote should’ve been taken last week before the Senate recessed.
“I’m here today on behalf of the victims,” McGarrigle said, “and to tell the Senate Dems don’t use these victims as political pawns … We’re going to reach out to Sen. (President Pro Tempore Joe) Scarnati, R-25 of Jefferson County, to demand that he call back the Senate … to come and let’s vote on this. Let’s take the vote, send it back and get it signed by the governor and move on. We are demanding a vote.”
Last week, the Senate failed to vote on S.B. 261 after Scarnati removed a provision from the bill so that institutions would not be held liable civilly. The House had passed the measure at the end of September. In addition to the two-year window for older cases, it would also eliminate criminal statutes of limitation for future child sexual abuse cases and extend the deadline for victims to file civil actions to age 50. Under current law victims must file by age 30. Many experts and advocates say it takes much longer for many victims to come to grips with their assaults as children.
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