Pennsylvania’s child-abuse lookback amendment stalls as Senate blocks deadline waiver

Pennsylvania lawmakers are again at an impasse over a constitutional amendment that would grant child sexual-assault survivors a two-year “lookback” period to file lawsuits, even if the usual filing deadlines have passed. The bipartisan proposal cleared the Democrat-led House in June but must also be approved by the Republican-controlled Senate before the legislative session ends on 30 November. Senate leaders have attached the amendment to a contested voter-identification bill, a move Democrats say is a political stunt.

Governor Josh Shapiro has publicly rebuked the Senate, pointing out that the measure has cleared the House six times since he took office but never reached his desk. Advocates cite similar statutes passed in states such as New York and Louisiana, which have enabled thousands of survivors to pursue justice. The debate is framed by the legacy of a massive Catholic-church abuse scandal that spurred earlier attempts to enact the law. Critics argue the delay leaves victims without legal recourse, while supporters hope upcoming elections could shift Senate control and revive the proposal.