Bill to extend legal window for child sex abuse survivors unlikely to see a Pa. Senate vote

[TexasTowelie]

Despite pleas from advocates and a recent request from the governor, a bill that would open a two-year window for child sex abuse survivors to pursue civil lawsuits against their abusers is unlikely to see a floor vote as the Pennsylvania Senate returns to session this month.

Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward, R-Westmoreland, who controls the upper chamber’s voting calendar, remains unchanged in her thinking that the constitutional amendment process remains the best legal path to extending the statute of limitations.

Erica Clayton Wright, a spokesperson for Ward, declined to answer further questions about the legislation and a possible Senate vote Monday. Instead, Wright cited previous statements made by Ward, who has argued there is no legal precedent to affirm extending a window legislatively.

If it weren’t for an advertising error made last year by the Department of State, the window for child sex abuse survivors would have appeared on the May primary election ballot as a proposed constitutional amendment. Lawmakers considered an emergency process to get the proposed change on the ballot, but that failed, with Ward saying in March that it did not meet emergency status criteria.

Read more: https://www.penncapital-star.com/government-politics/bill-to-extend-legal-window-for-child-sex-abuse-survivors-unlikely-to-see-a-pa-senate-vote/