HARRISBURG (PA)
Patriot News
April 9, 2019
By Ivey DeJesus
The future of the reform of child sex crime laws in Pennsylvania hinges on two companion bills now intricately tied to each other under an amendment approved by the House on Tuesday.
The state House of Representatives cleared the way for the two pieces of legislation to go for a full chamber vote, but linked the future of the bill seeking to eliminate criminal statutes for child sex crimes to the bill that would revive expired statutes of limitations.
By a unanimous vote of 197-0, the House approved an amendment changing the effective date of House bills 962 (which would prospectively eliminate the criminal statute of limitations) to passage in the Senate of its companion piece. That bill – House Bill 963 – calls for a constitutional amendment that would establish a two-year “window” during which adult victims timed-out of the legal system could file lawsuits against predators.
The bills now advance to a full vote in the House, which can happen as early as Wednesday.
“House Bill 962 only passes when the House and Senate pass 963,” said Rep. Mark Rozzi, D-Berks, sponsor of the former bill. The other bill is sponsored by Rep. Jim Gregory, R-Blair.
The House Judiciary Committee on Monday advanced to the full chamber two measures that would broadly reform the statute of limitations, eliminating criminal statutes and potentially reviving expired legal recourses.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.