PENNSYLVANIA
Tribune-Democrat
By Dave Sutor
dsutor@tribdem.com
Legislation, supported by state Rep. Bryan Barbin, D-Johnstown, that would eliminate the statute of limitations for criminal prosecution in future child sexual abuse cases and raise the limit to age 50 in civil cases passed through the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.
House Bill 1947 will next go to the full House for consideration.
“It needs to be done,” said Barbin, a member of the Judiciary Committee.
“If we’re going to do it, it needs to be done right and be done for everybody. I’m very thankful that we moved it through committee.”
Statutes of limitations have come to the local forefront, since, in March, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General released a grand jury report, alleging the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona–Johnstown carried out a decades-long coverup to shield at least 50 priests and other religious leaders accused of sexually abusing children.
However, due to the statutes, charges were only able to be filed against three priests from the Third Order Regular, Province of the Immaculate Conception, who allegedly let Brother Stephen Baker remain at Bishop McCort High School even though they reportedly knew about allegations of sexual abuse made against him.
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