Lawmakers could vote this week to open a window for child sex abuse survivors to file lawsuits

PITTSBURGH — It’s been nearly three years since the explosive Grand Jury report on sex abuse within the Catholic Church was released in Pennsylvania.

Since that time, nothing has changed legally for survivors. Now, they’re closer than ever to the change they’ve long sought.

“At the end of the day, we always wanted the same thing. We want justice. That’s not a lot to ask,” said Ryan O’Connor, a Plum resident who said he was abused by a priest in the Altoona-Johnstown Diocese as a child, but never had the chance to confront his abuser in court.

As soon as this week, the Pennsylvania Senate could vote on House Bill 951, which would open a two-year window for survivors to file lawsuits against their alleged abusers even if the statute of limitations expired.

O’Connor strongly supports the bill.

“We will have it. Will we have it this year or will we have it in 2023 is the question. I just don’t think anyone can really say how the court will rule on this,” O’Connor explained.

The bill overwhelmingly passed the House and last month made it through the Senate Judiciary Committee for the first time.

It’s now up to Senate Majority Leader, Kim Ward, to decide if it will get a vote from the full senate. A spokeswoman for Ward questioned the constitutionality of the Bill but added the following in a statement.

“The merits of HB 951 deserve consideration by the Pennsylvania Senate. It’s important to note that victims’ rights include public and private intuitions, which means public school districts would be liable. With this understanding, this deserves a vetting process with the public to weigh in,” the statement read.

O’Connor is hopeful that this session will be different from those in the past.

“I think we have it, but the fat lady hasn’t sang yet.”

Governor Tom Wolf has already indicated he will sign the bill into law if it passes the Senate.

If that happens, the bill is expected to face legal challenges. Deciding whether it’s constitutional would be in the hands of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

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