For those who constantly like to whine that we are not getting our money's worth from our representatives in Harrisburg - and yes, that would include us - yesterday was your day.
It was quite the busy day in the state Capitol.
The state Senate passed major legislation that would raise the minimum wage in the state and also deliver a long-awaited sense of justice to the victims of child sexual abuse.
The Senate bill would lift entirely any statute of limitations for criminal charges in cases of child sexual abuse. Under current law, the right to bring charges ends with the victim's 50th birthday.
Authorities would have up to 20 years to file charges in sexual abuse cases where in cases where the victim is 18-23 years old are the victim. Current law gives authorities up to 12 years to file charges in sexual abuse cases where the victim is over 17 years old.
Even more dramatic are the changes giving victims a wider window to seek civil damages against their molesters. Under current law, a victim of child sexual abuse has until their 30th birthday to sue. The bill raises that to their 55th birthday, although that provision applies to future incidents of abuse.
Young adults 18-23 years old would have until they turn 30 to sue. Current law gives them two years to sue.
But all of those pertain only to future cases.
For victims of decade-old abuse who have been denied an opportunity to seek redress, the Senate has started the process toward an amendment to the Pennsylvania Constitution that would open a two-year window for victims to file suits on old claims.
Previous attempts to directly change the criminal statutes have hit resistance and died in the Legislature.
Advocates for victims have balked at the constitutional amendment route, saying it is another case of justice denied. It is a lengthy process, one that would take several years.
The measure now must be passed by the House in this session, then approved again by both the Senate and House in the next session. That puts the question on the ballot, to be decided by the voters.
Sen. Tom Killion, R-9 of Middletown, voted in favor of the package.
"There is no more heinous offense than one committed against a child," Killion said. "For decades, Catholic bishops have systematically protected and shielded predator priests from criminal prosecution and civil penalties. With the package of bills passed by the Senate today, a path has been established to hold to account the abusers of those who have been denied justice as well as those who enabled that abuse. I am proud to have voted for these four important bills and stand in solidarity with those who cry out for justice.”
On wages, the Senate measure would hike Pennsylvania’s minimum wage, currently set at the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour since 2009, to $9.50. But not all at once. Instead the minimum would increase in four steps to $9.50 over the next two years. On July 1, 2020, the wage would rise to $8 an hour; to $8.50 on Jan. 1, 2021; to $9 on July 1, 2021; and to $9.50 on Jan. 1, 2022.
This was not what Gov. Tom Wolf originally envisioned when he proposed pumping up the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025. Wolf wanted to bump wages to $12 an hour immediately, then make annual 50-cent hikes in order to get to the $15 plateau in 2025.
That didn't happen.
Pennsylvania is one of 21 states that have a minimum wage at the federal minimum of $7.25. All neighboring states have already increased their minimum wage.
Comments