PENNSYLVANIA
PennLive
By Ivey DeJesus | idejesus@pennlive.com
on April 04, 2016
The senior ranking member of the state House Judiciary Committee on Monday unveiled legislation designed to reform Pennsylvania’s sex crime laws.
The legislation introduced by Majority Chairman Ron Marsico (R-Dauphin) would overhaul the law going forward but contains no retroactive components. Retroactive measures have been a key demand from victims of sexual abuse who have “timed out of the system,” particularly victims who were abused as children.”
“My choice to not include a retroactive period in this legislation was not easy,” Marsico said in a written statement. “As a father and grandfather, I am horrified by allegations of sex abuse. But, I also fear the huge negative impact it would potentially have on many nonprofit community groups and the services they provide due to the massive lawsuits they might end up facing for actions that may have occurred decades ago by people who are no longer even affiliated with those nonprofit groups. These groups were created to help people and I would not want those people to lose access to life-supporting services.”
Marsico’s proposed legislation would abolish the criminal statute of limitations for future criminal prosecutions.
“That way, justice will always be served because no one who sexually abuses a child then will ever be free from criminal prosecution merely because of a lapsed statute of limitations,” he said.
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