HB1947 Flyer

SOL vs. perp: +12 years from majority = Age 30
SOL vs. employer: +12 years from majority = Age 30

Majority Tolling: Age 18
Discovery Tolling: No

Age of Consent: 16

Age 50 (as of 2008)

DNA Exception: If a DNA test can identify an otherwise unidentifiable perpetrator, prosecution may be commenced within the previously stated statute of limitations, or one year after the identity of the perpetrator is discovered, whichever is later. 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. Ann.§ 5552(c.1) (2008).

2015 Pending Legislation

FACSA | Foundation to

Abolish Child Sex Abuse

It was a good day last Wednesday when the full PA House passed overwhelmingly HB 1947. While the bill did not include all we had wanted and had worked for, it does :

  • Open a window with no end date for many survivors (those under 50 whenever the law is enacted)
  • Help expose more predators who have been hiding behind the short time limitations that have been part of PA laws for way too long
  • Put predators on notice that there will be NO time limits when they will feel safe from being identified and prosecuted if they sexually abuse a child.

But for HB 1947 to become law it has two more steps to go through:

  1. to be passed by the Senate
  2. to be signed by Gov. Wolf.

The House has sent the bill to the Senate, where, once they reconvene after the primary elections on 5/9, it will likely be sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee where its fate is uncertain.

FACSA had a meeting with the committee chair, Sen. Stewart Greenleaf, over a year ago. At that time he was not in support of any legislation that opened a civil window that would allow victims, no matter how long ago the abuse happened, to file a civil suit against the perpetrator, or those who may have covered up the crime. Without support of the chair, this bill could languish in his committee much like it lanquished for almost a decade in the House Judiciary Committee.

Once again, we are asking you and all those you can marshal into action, to do what you can to help move this bill through the state Senate.

  1. Please contact Sen. Greenleaf and the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee and ask them to consider and vote out to the full Senate HB 1947 with no changes that would not fully eliminate the criminal statues of limitations nor would add further restrictive limits on when a victim can file a civil suit. Names, phone numbers and email addresses of the committee members are listed below. A new added feature this time is that when you click on the email link, it will open an email window that has the subject and message pre-filled in. You can edit at will. Add your name and address and phone number and anything you want to say. Keep it clear, keep it short, keep it simple.
  2. Please contact your local Senator and ask them to actively lobby in support of HB 1947 as written to be considered by the full Senate and to support it once it reaches the Senate. Find you local state Senator HERE.
  3. If you have the time and inclination,  please send an email to each Senator requesting the same. There contact information is listed on our website HERE.

Thanks so much for whatever you can do to help achieve #SOLReform.

~~~~~~~~~~

 

Stewart Greenleaf    Majority Chair    sgreenleaf@pasen.gov    (717) 787-6599

Daylin Leach    Minority Chair    senatorleach@pasenate.com    (717) 787-5544 

John Rafferty Jr.    Majority – Vice Chair    jrafferty@pasen.gov    (717) 787-1398

Joseph Scarnati III    Majority – Ex Officio    jscarnati@pasen.gov    (717) 787-7084 

Richard Alloway II    Majority    alloway@pasen.gov    (717)-787-4651

John Eichelberger Jr.    Majority    jeichelberger@pasen.gov    (717) 787-5490 

John Gordner    Majority    jgordner@pasen.gov    (717) 787-8928

Guy Reschenthaler    Majority    greschenthaler@pasen.gov    (717) 787-5839 

Randy Vulakovich    Majority    rvulakovich@pasen.gov    (717) 787-6538

Gene Yaw    Majority    gyaw@pasen.gov    (717) 787-3280 

Lisa Boscola    Minority    boscola@pasenate.com    (717) 787-4236 

Lawrence Farnese Jr.    Minority    farnese@pasenate.com    (717) 787-5662 

Art Haywood    Minority    senatorhaywood@pasenate.com    (717) 787-1427

John Sabatina Jr.    Minority    sabatina@pasenate.com    (717) 787-9608


State SOL News

More child abuse bills in final stretch (The Times-Tribune)

Good developments but survivors' access to justice remains difficult in PA

Alleged victim targets accused pedophile priest 30 years later

Brzyski is one of the worst

Victims blast Catholic healing mass

For immediate release: Friday, March 21, 2014 Statement…

PA Pending Bill S.B. 681 passes house and referred to RULES AND EXECUTIVE NOMINATIONS

SB 681 - An Act amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial…

Archdiocese to end tuition aid to children of abuse victims

"I've heard of individual cases where some victims have negotiated unusual assistance with the archdiocese, but I had never heard of a standing tuition program," said Marci Hamilton, a lawyer who has represented several victims in lawsuits against the archdiocese.

ESPN's article about McQueary a terrible message to survivors

Reminder to media of importance to Survivors of letting them choose when to

May 3 event!

May 3, 2014: Justice4PAKids 5K RUN & 1 MILE WALK

Action Alert in PA: Support the The Stop Educator Sexual Abuse, Misconduct and Exploitation (S.E.S.A.M.E.) Act

Please support in ensuring the safety of Pennsylvania's students…

11 Pa. Coaches Charged With Abuse in Last 3 Years

11 Pa. Coaches Charged With Abuse in Last 3 Years Eleven youth…

How our abuser got away with it (NY Daily News)

Powerful statement by survivors -- why SOLs are unfair and protect predators

Preventing child abuse is subject of talk (Daily Local News)

SE PA child prevention talk Great group!

Debra Schilling Wolfe MEd., Revisiting Child Abuse Reporting Laws (2012)

PA continues to stall on real SOL reform for the thousands of victims shut out of court, on the advice of the bishops

2015 Pending Legislation

FACSA | Foundation to

Abolish Child Sex Abuse

It was a good day last Wednesday when the full PA House passed overwhelmingly HB 1947. While the bill did not include all we had wanted and had worked for, it does :

  • Open a window with no end date for many survivors (those under 50 whenever the law is enacted)
  • Help expose more predators who have been hiding behind the short time limitations that have been part of PA laws for way too long
  • Put predators on notice that there will be NO time limits when they will feel safe from being identified and prosecuted if they sexually abuse a child.

But for HB 1947 to become law it has two more steps to go through:

  1. to be passed by the Senate
  2. to be signed by Gov. Wolf.

The House has sent the bill to the Senate, where, once they reconvene after the primary elections on 5/9, it will likely be sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee where its fate is uncertain.

FACSA had a meeting with the committee chair, Sen. Stewart Greenleaf, over a year ago. At that time he was not in support of any legislation that opened a civil window that would allow victims, no matter how long ago the abuse happened, to file a civil suit against the perpetrator, or those who may have covered up the crime. Without support of the chair, this bill could languish in his committee much like it lanquished for almost a decade in the House Judiciary Committee.

Once again, we are asking you and all those you can marshal into action, to do what you can to help move this bill through the state Senate.

  1. Please contact Sen. Greenleaf and the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee and ask them to consider and vote out to the full Senate HB 1947 with no changes that would not fully eliminate the criminal statues of limitations nor would add further restrictive limits on when a victim can file a civil suit. Names, phone numbers and email addresses of the committee members are listed below. A new added feature this time is that when you click on the email link, it will open an email window that has the subject and message pre-filled in. You can edit at will. Add your name and address and phone number and anything you want to say. Keep it clear, keep it short, keep it simple.
  2. Please contact your local Senator and ask them to actively lobby in support of HB 1947 as written to be considered by the full Senate and to support it once it reaches the Senate. Find you local state Senator HERE.
  3. If you have the time and inclination,  please send an email to each Senator requesting the same. There contact information is listed on our website HERE.

Thanks so much for whatever you can do to help achieve #SOLReform.

~~~~~~~~~~

 

Stewart Greenleaf    Majority Chair    sgreenleaf@pasen.gov    (717) 787-6599

Daylin Leach    Minority Chair    senatorleach@pasenate.com    (717) 787-5544 

John Rafferty Jr.    Majority – Vice Chair    jrafferty@pasen.gov    (717) 787-1398

Joseph Scarnati III    Majority – Ex Officio    jscarnati@pasen.gov    (717) 787-7084 

Richard Alloway II    Majority    alloway@pasen.gov    (717)-787-4651

John Eichelberger Jr.    Majority    jeichelberger@pasen.gov    (717) 787-5490 

John Gordner    Majority    jgordner@pasen.gov    (717) 787-8928

Guy Reschenthaler    Majority    greschenthaler@pasen.gov    (717) 787-5839 

Randy Vulakovich    Majority    rvulakovich@pasen.gov    (717) 787-6538

Gene Yaw    Majority    gyaw@pasen.gov    (717) 787-3280 

Lisa Boscola    Minority    boscola@pasenate.com    (717) 787-4236 

Lawrence Farnese Jr.    Minority    farnese@pasenate.com    (717) 787-5662 

Art Haywood    Minority    senatorhaywood@pasenate.com    (717) 787-1427

John Sabatina Jr.    Minority    sabatina@pasenate.com    (717) 787-9608