Pennsylvania

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).

House Bill 1947

Source: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=H&type=B&bn=1947 

Last Updated: 9/20/16

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

House Bill 1947

Source: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=H&type=B&bn=1947 

Last Updated: 9/20/16

Professor Marci A. Hamilton Testimony

View All Testimony

State SOL News

PA Action Alert

PA Action Alert

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

Pennsylvania Senate Committee Reveals its Twisted Priorities

Pennsylvania Senate Committee Reveals its Twisted Priorities

PA Action alert: Wed, June 29, 2016

ACTION ALERT: HB 1947 to be voted on by PA Senate

Pennsylvania HB 1947 Testimony

The issue this Committee has asked me to focus on is whether the revival of a civil SOL for child sex abuse is consistent with the Pennsylvania Constitution. The short answer is that along with a majority of the states, it is constitutional in Pennsylvania to revive an expired civil SOL.

Action Alert: Monday, June 13, 8am

Action Alert: Monday, June 13, 8am

Another PA Rep speaks up for survivors

Another PA Rep speaks up for survivors

Assemblywoman Markey, They Walk Brooklyn Bridge to Fix Child Sex Abuse SOL Laws

Child sex abuse survivors and advocates rally to push New York State Legislature to reform archaic NY’s statute of limitations, expose hidden pedophiles

Pennsylvania Catholic Conference ' A Call to Action'

More propaganda from Philly hierarchy

Bishop of Allentown Encourages Opposition to SOL Reform in Pennsylvania

Still waiting for lists of priests and employees from NJ dioceses. Not enough to share w DAs in secret

Child Sex Abuse Advocates Gather in PA for SOL Reform

Peter Kuzma and Rep. Mark Rozzi

ACTION ALERT: Friday, May 27 - Multi-Organizational Demonstration to Protest Actions being taken by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia top leadership to fight the passage of PA HB 1947- #SOLReform

Wear white shirt and bring friends and family to send message that Catholic hierarchy's opposition to victims' access to justice is immoral and wrong.

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