Senate approves bills reforming statute of limitations, mandatory reporting in abuse cases
The Pennsylvania Senate approved a package of bills Wednesday that would do away with the statute of limitations in child sexual abuse cases, allow the victims more time to file suit and clarify mandatory reporting standards.
The Senate鈥檚 approval followed seven months after the state鈥檚 House of Representatives gave its assent to the bills. Gov. Tom Wolf is expected to sign them.
The measures were all crafted in response to the grand jury report released last year by the office of Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro that detailed widespread sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests within the commonwealth over several decades. The explosive report prompted other states to launch their own investigations and institute reforms similar to those just approved by the Senate.
The fact that the reforms had been codified in other states but not Pennsylvania had been a source of frustration for Shapiro. In a talk with the editorial boards of Washington鈥檚 Observer-Reporter and the 缅北禁地 earlier this month, Shapiro lamented the fact that the reforms had stalled in the Senate, but said that he believed they would ultimately 鈥減ass overwhelmingly.鈥�
In a statement released after the vote, Shapiro said that, with the passage of the legislation, 鈥渢he voices of survivors were heard.鈥�
鈥淭hese reforms are more than just statutory changes,鈥� he continued. 鈥淭hey fundamentally change our justice system to better protect victims and hold abusers, and those who cover up abuse, accountable under the law.鈥�
The delay in the approval of the reforms had been pinned on the Catholic Church and sympathetic lawmakers, who argued that a flood of lawsuits would drain church coffers, and abuse cases might not be fairly adjudicated decades after the fact. Ellen Mady, a spokeswoman for the Diocese of Pittsburgh, said Thursday that it 鈥渋s in support of changes to both criminal and civil statutes of limitations regarding child sexual abuse, as long as legislative changes apply equally across the board.鈥�
She added that the diocese hopes that 鈥渢he changes the Legislature is currently pursuing will be applicable to all parties in the commonwealth, both public and private. The diocese continues to pray for all victims/survivors of child sexual abuse, that they find healing.鈥�
The Senate approved four bills. The first would eliminate the criminal statute of limitations for child sexual abuse and related crimes and extend the deadlines for civil actions from age 30 to age 55. The second would amend the commonwealth鈥檚 Constitution to allow a two-year window for retroactive lawsuits from victims whose statute of limitations has already expired. The third clarifies mandatory reporting standards for suspected cases of abuse and increases penalties for mandated reporters who do not report the cases to authorities. The fourth bill ensures the rights of survivors to speak to law-enforcement officials even if they have signed nondisclosure statements.
Sen. Camera Bartolotta, R-46, whose district includes all of Greene County, most of Washington County and part of Beaver County, said after the vote that 鈥渟urvivors of these appalling and sickening crimes deserve a chance to come forward on their own terms and stand up to their abusers in court. Addressing all four of the grand jury recommendations finally gives them that opportunity.鈥�