HARRISBURG, Pa. — Monday morning, child sex abuse survivors and advocates will gather at the State Capitol to urge the Senate Majority Leader to bring statute of limitations legislation to a vote on the senate floor.
The legislation would give child sex abuse survivors more time to sue their abusers is currently facing an uphill battle following a mistake by the PA Dept. of State. Earlier this year, it was discovered the amendment was never advertised in newspapers across the state after passing both the PA House and Senate in two consecutive sessions in 2019, as required.
The legislation would have created a constitutional amendment for Pennsylvanians to vote on in this May 18th primary on whether a two-year window should be granted to child sex abuse survivors to sue their abusers. State law currently does not allow civil lawsuits to be filed by a child sex abuse survivor older than 30.
Since the Dept. of State's mistake, the legislation must go through the entire process of being passed by the House and Senate in two consecutive sessions again. However, that is appearing to be less likely to happen this time around.
Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward has said, “After careful consideration, it has been determined by the majority that this matter does not meet the emergency status criteria and does not correct the failure by the Wolf Administration as it still does not properly vet this matter with the public.”
The group urging Sen. Ward to bring this legislation to a vote on the senate floor will be on the front steps of the capitol at 10am this morning.