ALTOONA (PA)
Altoona Mirror
Nov. 18, 2019
By Mary Haley
Two state House representatives, one from Hollidaysburg, the other from across the state, are hopeful that sexual abuse reform legislation they’ve proposed will pass today in the state Senate and eventually become law.
But the measures have plenty of critics, chief among them the Roman Catholic church, which claims it is the prime target of the legislation.
Church representatives have said that they have acknowledged the past sins of clergy sexual abuse, and they’re atoning for those with compensation funds and counseling for victims.
They’ve said they’ve also instituted reforms to avoid future problems.
State Reps. Jim Gregory, a Republican representing Blair County, and Rep. Mark Rozzi, a Democrat representing Berks County, put forth the pair of bills earlier this year.
Their bills, to be voted upon today in the Senate, would eliminate the statute of limitations on sexual abuse criminal charges and provide a two-year window on outdated civil lawsuits against alleged sexual abuse offenders.
Both bills raise the age of victims who can file claims from 30 to 55. Rozzi’s piece refers to eliminating the criminal statute of limitations on sex abuse crimes.
Gregory’s part calls for the two-year window that requires amending the state constitution, which means it must pass two consecutive legislative sessions.
It then must receive a favorable vote in a state referendum before it becomes law. The process would take about two years.
The bills are connected, which means both must pass or neither will become law.
Catholic church representatives have said the fallout from the legislation proposed will be the same in Pennsylvania as what has occurred in other states that have passed similar measures, particularly from the two-year window provision.
In most states that have passed such windows, Catholic dioceses have declared bankruptcies. Nationwide, 20 Roman Catholic dioceses have declared bankruptcy as of September 2019, according to media reports.
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