Pennsylvania House to discuss child sexual abuse amendment in special session

HARRISBURG, Pa. — The Pennsylvania State House is set to return to Harrisburg Tuesday morning to begin a special session.

Three newly elected State Representatives from Allegheny County are set to be sworn-in at the start of the session and Democrats will take control of the State House.

The special session was called for the sole purpose of discussing an amendment that would open a two-year window for Pennsylvanians sexually abused as children to civilly sue their alleged attackers regardless of how long ago it happened.

Mike McDonnell, with the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said time should never restrict truth from coming to light.

“If we think about the context of asking an 11-year-old what a statute of limitations is, criminally or civilly, then ask that same 11 or 12-year-old whether he or she is ready to talk about a horrific sexual experience they had with a trusted person. The answer is going to be ‘no,’ and ‘no,’ to both of them,” McDonnell explained.

The bipartisan bill previously passed the State House and a similar bill passed the GOP-led State Senate. But that version grouped this sexual abuse amendment with two others, leading to a dispute between both chambers and both parties.

“The State Senate has been very clear that this should be passed with other issues that should be on the ballot for constitutional reasons,” explained Rep. Aaron Bernstine, a Republican who represents parts of Beaver and Butler Counties. “Those two things are voter ID, which I’m strongly in favor of, as well as changing the regulatory process that we have here in Pennsylvania.”

Rep. Emily Kinkead, a Democrat who represents parts of Allegheny County, has a different opinion.

“We want to see a clean bill because we think that victims of childhood sexual assault should have justice without strings attached,” she said.

If this sexual abuse amendment does pass the State House this week, it will move to the State Senate.

The Senate reconvenes next Monday and would need to set aside time for a special session of its own to address the amendment.

If it passes both the House and the Senate, it will appear on the November ballot as a constitutional amendment that will need to be passed by the voters before taking effect.

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