Sexual Abuse Demonstration Coming to Senate Offices in Harrisburg

Reading Eagle
October 15, 2018

https://www.readingeagle.com/news/article/the-rundown-sexual-abuse-demonstration-coming-to-senate-offices-in-harrisburg


ABUSE VICTIMS WILL BE HEARD IN CAPITOL

Advocates and victims of childhood sexual abuse will be seen and heard in the hallways of the state Capitol in Harrisburg today.

They will be calling for the opening of a window in Pennsylvania's statute of limitations on civil lawsuits.

They will be reading aloud, all day, the grand jury report detailing how more than 300 Catholic priests across Pennsylvania allegedly sexually abused children over 70 years. This way, senators who haven't read it themselves, will hear it all day long, according to a news release promoting the action.

In addition, victims and advocates will stand outside senators' offices seeking support for the bill.

Senate Bill 612 was amended by state Rep. Mark Rozzi, a Muhlenberg Township Democrat, to open a two-year window for adult victims of childhood sexual abuse to bring suit; Pennsylvania law now requires them to file before they reach the age of 30.

The bill could get a vote in the Senate early this week.

CASEY, BARLETTA TO DEBATE SUNDAY

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey and U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta are scheduled to participate in a televised debate Sunday, the first of two planned debates between the major-party candidates for U.S. Senate.

A second debate is being planned with KDKA-CBS in Pittsburgh.

Sunday's debate, co-sponsored by Univision and WPVI-TV, will air from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on the ABC affiliate in Philadephia and be moderated by Channel 6 Action News anchor Jim Gardner, with panelists Sharrie Williams of Channel 6 and Ilia Garcia of Univision 65.

Casey, a Scranton Democrat, is seeking his third term in the U.S. Senate. Barletta, a Luzerne County Republican, decided against a fifth term in the U.S. House to challenge Casey.

Republicans hold a 51-49 majority in the U.S. Senate. Nine of the 35 Senate seats on the ballot in November are held by Republicans; two by independents who caucus with the Democrats; and 24 by Democrats, 10 in states won by Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election; the latter tally includes Pennsylvania.

ELECTION INTEGRITY

The House State Government Committee has scheduled a public hearing today on efforts to improve and protect the integrity of Pennsylvania's elections.

It will start at 9 a.m. in Room G-50 Irvis Office Building. To see a livestream online, visit RepMetcalfe.com, the website of committee Chairman Daryl Metcalfe, a Butler County Republican, starting at 8:55.