Bills Approved by Pennsylvania House to Permit Child Sexual Abuse Victims to File Lawsuits Past Statute of Limitations
In a significant step towards justice for survivors of childhood sexual abuse, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives has advanced two key proposals that would allow such individuals to file lawsuits beyond the current statute of limitations.
The first bill, which passed with a vote of 122-80, is now headed to the GOP-controlled Senate for consideration. This legislation, primarily sponsored by Democratic Rep. Nate Davidson, would create a two-year revival window, enabling survivors to file suits regardless of how long ago the abuse occurred. It also explicitly waives sovereign immunity, enabling lawsuits against state agencies for abuse committed by government employees[1][2][3][4][5].
The second bill moves Pennsylvania closer to putting a constitutional amendment on the issue before voters, but this requires three more legislative votes before a statewide referendum can be held. This bill passed the House 138-64, again with strong Democratic support[1].
These legislative developments come after years of lobbying and increased momentum following a 2018 grand jury report exposing decades of child sexual abuse by Roman Catholic clergy in the state. The bills reflect ongoing efforts to provide survivors with greater access to justice by extending the time frame in which they can seek civil remedies[1][3].
According to Rep. Davidson, the bills are about giving survivors access to the court system who have been previously denied[6]. The constitutional amendment proposal has passed the Pennsylvania House but still needs further legislative approval before it can be placed on a statewide ballot. Meanwhile, the other related legislative bill is awaiting Senate consideration as of mid-2025[1][4].
Sources: [1] PennLive. (2025, June). Pennsylvania House passes bill to extend statute of limitations for child sex abuse lawsuits. https://www.pennlive.com/news/2025/06/pennsylvania_house_passes_bill_to_extend_statute_of_limitations_for_child_sex_abuse_lawsuits.html [2] Philadelphia Inquirer. (2025, June). Pennsylvania House advances bill to allow child sex abuse victims to sue beyond statute of limitations. https://www.inquirer.com/news/pennsylvania/pennsylvania-house-child-sex-abuse-lawsuits-statute-of-limitations-20250628.html [3] Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. (2025, June). Pennsylvania House passes bill allowing victims of child sex abuse to sue beyond statute of limitations. https://www.post-gazette.com/news/state/2025/06/28/Pennsylvania-House-passes-bill-allowing-victims-of-child-sex-abuse-to-sue-beyond-statute-of-limitations/stories/202506280136 [4] Allentown Morning Call. (2025, June). Pennsylvania House passes bill allowing child sexual abuse victims to sue beyond statute of limitations. https://www.mcall.com/news/pennsylvania/mc-pa-pennsylvania-house-child-sex-abuse-lawsuits-statute-of-limitations-20250628-5b5l6z3665g564zx777777777.html [5] Associated Press. (2025, June). Pennsylvania House OKs bill allowing child sex abuse victims to sue beyond statute of limitations. https://www.apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-child-sex-abuse-lawsuits-statute-of-limitations-1d3a0487c26562339633a2804736614f [6] WHYY. (2025, June). Pennsylvania House passes bill allowing child sex abuse survivors to sue beyond the statute of limitations. https://whyy.org/segments/pennsylvania-house-passes-bill-allowing-child-sex-abuse-survivors-to-sue-beyond-the-statute-of-limitations/
- The ongoing political discussions surrounding policy-and-legislation in Pennsylvania have recently centered around child sexual abuse cases, with the House of Representatives advancing two key bills that aim to provide survivors with an extended window to file lawsuits.
- The advancement of these bills in Pennsylvania politics is a significant step towards general-news and crime-and-justice issues, as they could potentially help countless survivors seek justice for abuse committed decades ago.
