A proposed Pennsylvania state constitutional amendment allowing lawsuits for otherwise outdated child sexual abuse claims was not advertised as required, delaying the required voter referendum for at least two years, the Wolf administration disclosed Monday.
The Pennsylvania Department of State in a news release called it "Simple human error" and apologized, saying the mistake was discovered late last week.
"I'm just shocked," said state Rep. Mark Rozzi, D-Berks, a prime backer of the amendment.
Just last week, the state House gave what was then thought to have been its final approval to a proposal to change the Pennsylvania Constitution to give those who say they were victims of child sexual abuse a retroactive two-year "Window" in which to file civil lawsuits, no matter how long ago the alleged abuse occurred.
Many of them lost the chance to sue when they turned 18, or as young adults, depending on the state law at the time.
In 2018, a landmark state grand jury report gave the fight new life, recommending that the now-adult victims of child sexual abuse get a two-year reprieve from time limits in state law that otherwise bars them from suing.
The state's dioceses opened temporary victim compensation funds and lawmakers later agreed to set in motion the multi-year process for amending the constitution to allow the two-year window.
https://6abc.com/politics/pa-secretary-of-state-out-after-constitutional-amendment-error/10219492/
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