PENNSYLVANIA
Herald-Standard
Monday, April 18, 2016
By Mark Hofmann mhofmann@heraldstandard.com
A local lawmaker, a local victim advocacy center and district attorneys expressed their support for this week’s vote from the state House to eliminate the statute of limitations for future child sex crimes.
On Tuesday, the state House voted 180-15 to approve a bill that changes the age limit from 30 to 50 for people who were abused as children to bring civil lawsuits.
It applies retroactively so that past abuse victims can sue. It would also prevent organizations from claiming immunity from lawsuits when they have acted with gross negligence.
The proposal also would eliminate the statute of limitations in future criminal cases for a list of more severe crimes that involve child victims. That provision, however, is not retroactive.
State Rep. Peter J. Daley, D-California, said he joined the House majority to approve the legislation after emotional testimony.
“The testimony surrounding the measure was among the most difficult and disturbing I have ever witnessed or ever want to consider,” Daley said. “We can only hope and pray that the horrors inflicted on some of our youngest and most vulnerable citizens can somehow be ameliorated by the legislation.”
Daley said the legislation would abolish the criminal statute of limitations for future criminal prosecutions for serious child sexual abuse crimes relating to human trafficking, sexual servitude, rape, statutory sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, sexual assault, institutional sexual assault, aggravated indecent sexual assault and incest.
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