PENNSYLVANIA
Daily Item
Pennsylvania lawmakers have a chance to swing a hammer regarding penalties for child abusers. Instead, they have so far chosen not to.
Legislation to alter the statute of limitations for child sex crimes is heading to the House floor following votes this week. But the bill lacks a controversial provision that would allow victims to sue institutions — such as the Catholic church — that allegedly covered up the crimes for years or decades.
The House Judiciary Committee approved a bill that made a number of changes, but without even a discussion regarding a long-sought proposal to allow victims of child abuse to sue after the statute of limitations in their cases has expired.
The new bill would allow that moving forward, but would not make that ability retroactive.
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