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| News You Can Use |
| Legislative Headlines |
Strengthening Protections for Victims of Crime
With this week being National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, the House began working through a package of bills designed to help protect victims of crime.
A cornerstone of this package is my legislation, Marsy’s Law, which seeks to amend the state Constitution by adding a victims bill of rights. It’s time to correct the disparity that currently exists between the right of the accused and the rights of crime victims. My legislation does not seek to give victims more rights than the accused. Instead, it gives both parties in a criminal proceeding equal footing throughout the process.
Other bills in the package passed this week include measures to shield rape victims from being re-victimized by irrelevant cross examination; allow victims and witnesses with intellectual disabilities or autism to submit out-of-court statements rather than face their perpetrators in court; expand the types of crimes for which an out-of-court statement can be accepted; and allow crime victims to attend any proceeding relating to their cases, unless attending would materially alter the victims’ testimony.
The bills now head to the Senate for consideration.
Learn more about efforts to protect crime victims in Pennsylvania here.
Expanding the Statute of Limitations for Child Sexual Abuse
As the Commonwealth marks April as Child Abuse Prevention Month, the House passed a two-bill package known as the Pennsylvania Hidden Predator Act to help empower victims of child sexual abuse.
House Bill 962, sponsored by Rep. Mark Rozzi (D-Berks), would change the civil statute of limitations for child sexual abuse, allowing childhood victims until age 55 to file suit, and provide for waivers of sovereign and governmental immunity relating to claims of childhood sexual abuse. It would also abolish the criminal statute of limitations for child sexual abuse moving forward.
House Bill 963, sponsored by Rep. Jim Gregory (R-Blair), would amend the Pennsylvania Constitution to provide a two-year window in which civil lawsuits alleging childhood sexual abuse may be filed in court, notwithstanding any otherwise applicable statute of limitations defense.
The House also started the process of amending the Pennsylvania Constitution to provide a two-year window to anyone for whom a statutory limitations period has expired to commence action arising from childhood sexual abuse.
These bills are important in the effort to ensure justice for victims of past abuse.
Reporting suspected abuse is the best way to protect children. If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, you can call the Department of Health’s toll-free ChildLine at 1-800-932-0313.
Give PennDOT Feedback
PennDOT is looking for Pennsylvanians to give feedback on its winter services and communications.
You can provide your input by taking PennDOT’s 10-question survey that asks about how often you travel in poor weather, how you rate PennDOT’s winter service, and how you rank its snow-removal priorities.
The survey also asks how you receive PennDOT’s roadway information, and if you use Pennsylvania’s 511PA system for traffic and incident information, and winter roadway conditions.
You can take the survey by clicking here.
Trout Season Open Statewide
This Saturday, April 13, marks the statewide opening day of trout season. Fishing begins at 8 a.m.
To participate, anglers ages 16 and older must have a valid Pennsylvania Fishing License and a Trout/Salmon Permit, both available at gonefishingpa.com or at more than 700 issuing agents. Multi-year licenses are also available in 3-year, 5-year and 10-year increments. Prices for licenses and permits remain the same as last year. Youth anglers ages 15 and under do not require licenses or permits.
To locate stocked trout fishing waters near you, select the 2019 Trout Stocking Schedule at fishandboat.com. Waterways on this list are searchable by county, organized in alphabetical order and provide the date, time and meeting place for each stocking event.
The FREE Fish Boat PA Mobile App is the most useful tool in an angler’s tackle box. Download the app from the Apple App or Google Play stores to locate stocked waterways or wild trout streams, use the fish identification tool, and view fishing and boating regulations.
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| Committee Updates |
Monday, April 8
Consumer Affairs Committee
The first in a series of hearings on House Bill 11 related to the nuclear power industry.
Judiciary Committee
House Bill 854 (Ecker) – Titles 18, 23 and 42/strangulation.
House Bill 962 (Rozzi) – Title 42/Statute of limitations.
House Bill 963 (Gregory) – Constitutional Amendment/statute of limitations.
House Bill 991 (Thomas) – Public Employee Pension Forfeiture Act/providing for definitions.
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| Upcoming Events in the 88th District |
Tribute to Veterans Breakfast
On Thursday, May 2, I will be holding my annual Tribute to Veterans Breakfast for veterans and active-duty military personnel residing in the 88th Legislative District. The breakfast will be at the First Church of God Community Center, 201 E. Green St., Mechanicsburg. Doors open at 7:30 a.m., and the program starts at 8 a.m. This year’s theme is “Our Military Bases and Our Communities.” Please register by visiting RepDelozier.com or calling my district office at 717-761-4665.
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| Rep. Delozier in the Community |
• As the co-chair of the Friends of the Board of Domestic Violence Services of Cumberland and Perry Counties, I attended the Sunflower Gala to raise awareness and money for victims of domestic violence. Inspired by Toni Myers, who was a victim, the event raised funds to assist with protection from abuse filings and maintaining the shelter. No one should ever live in fear.
• Students from Cedar Cliff High School’s government and English learners classes visited the Capitol this week. I talked to them about the legislative process.
• Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC) students, along with President Ski Sygielski, joined other community college students at the Capitol on Tuesday to talk about the importance of a community college education. HACC plays a vital role in helping to prepare people for their future careers.
• I spoke at the National Crime Victims’ Rights Rally in the Capitol Rotunda. As a former hotline volunteer and escort for victims of rape and domestic violence, I have seen the pain they have had to endure. In addition, I prime sponsored a resolution marking the week of April 7-13, 2019, as Crime Victims’ Rights Week in Pennsylvania.
• On Thursday, I joined some of my House colleagues in a tour of Ft. Indiantown Gap to learn more about the National Guard’s efforts to preserve, protect and enhance the environment surrounding the base. We were able to see seven acres of solar panels the base is using to save money on its energy bills. Seeing the base from the air was very enlightening.
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| Office Locations |
| 2929 Gettysburg Road, Suite 6, Camp Hill PA 17011 | Phone: (717) 761-4665 |
| 107 Ryan Office Building, PO Box 202088, Harrisburg PA 17120-2088 | Phone: 717-783-5282 |
| Email: sdelozie@pahousegop.com |
| TTY: 855-282-0614 |
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